Major Yate VC

A branch of the Yate family moved to Madeley Hall from Berkshire in the eighteenth century.

Charles Yate was born in 1872. His father, George, was vicar of St. Michael's Church, Madeley and his mother, Louise Caroline was of German origin. This may explain why Charles was born in Germany and became a fluent German speaker. He was the only son of his father's five children and was christened Charles Allix Lavington Yate. He was known as 'Cal' throughout his life.

Sandhurst

Charles was educated at Weymouth College until 1890. In 1891 he entered The Royal military College at Sandhurst for two years. He must have been an exemplary cadet as he passed out in 9th position out of a thousand candidates.

He was commissioned in 1892 and joined the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) and was stationed in Bombay.

Charles first saw action on the north West Frontier, for which he was later awarded the India Service Medal. At this time (1899) he was made up to captain and joined the Staff College in Mauritius.

The Boer War

With the outbreak of the Boer War the KOYLI were transferred to South Africa. At the Battle of Graspan he was badly wounded and returned to England to convalesce. A contemporary account in the Shropshire Star tells how the local miners met Captain Yate's train at Madeley Market Station. They pulled his carriage through the streets of Madeley to his home as an act of recognition for his bravery.

In 1903 he married Florence Burroughs but there were no children of the marriage.

Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure

Soon after the wedding, Captain Yate was sent to Japan as a member of the British Army mission. He was to report on military tactics used by the Japanese in their war against Russia. At the end of this war, in 1904, Captain Yate was awarded two medals by the Japanese Emperor. During this time he must have absorbed some elements of Japanese culture. Later he felt that soldiers should not be taken alive on the field of battle.

The Great War

He served on the General Staff in South Africa and in London at the War Office. In 1912 he was promoted to Major and rejoined the KOYLI in 1914. He preferred to take an active role on the outbreak of the Great War.

Victoria Cross

It was at the battle of Le Cateau that Major Yate earned his Victoria Cross. He led his nineteen survivors against the enemy in a charge in which he was severely wounded.

Prisoner of War

Major Yate was captured at Le Cateau and taken to a prisoner of war camp at Torgau in Germany. By all accounts he felt deeply humiliated by his capture and there are accounts of several escape attempts. Plans for a fresh breakout by several officers including Cal Yate were made. On the 18th September 1914, two German officers visited the camp and asked to see Major Yate alone. After this visit he became visibly agitated and it was agreed that the escape plans should be brought forward. All resources concentrated on this effort.

Took his Life

With the help of his comrades he slipped out of the camp on the night of the 19th September. The following morning, because of his unusual appearance, he was stopped by factory workers. They demanded to see inside his haversack. At this point Major Yate cut his throat with a razor. He realised that the contents of his haversack would betray him as an Englishman. Perhaps he anticipated such an incident as, the night before, he swapped his safety razor for an open razor.

Posthumous Award

Major Yate was clearly a brave officer well-liked and respected by fellow prisoners and those that served with him. He was an all-round sportsman and an accomplished linguist who spoke five languages. Events in his life showed him to be a brave officer, leading from the front. He was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously on the 2nd August 1919. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Stahnsdorf and is commemorated on the Madeley War Memorial.

In November 2004, during a state visit to Germany, the Queen laid a wreath on the grave of Major Yate. His medals are on display at the KOYLI Regimental Museum in Pontefract, Yorkshire.