The Great War Commander of the Order of the British Empire group to Brigadier-General Reverend J.H. Bateson, Royal Army Chaplain’s Department, who was Chaplain to the Upper Burma Field Force during the period 1886 to 1889, would service as the Secretary to the Royal Army Temperance Association in India during 1891 and would later serve as the Principal Wesleyan Chaplain to the Forces during the Great War, where he would also service as the Member of the Interdenominational Advisory Committee Chaplaincy Services at the War Office. Also representative for the Methodist Church at the Admiralty and Air Ministry, and would later be General Secretary of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Homes of the Methodist Church.
Group of 3: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 1st Type, Military Division, Commander. C.B.E. neck badge, in silver-gilt and enamel, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue. India General Service Medal 1854-1895, 2 Clasps: Burma 1885-7, Burma 18897-89, engraved in running script; (Revd J.H. Bateson, Mad. Estab.) British War Medal; (REV. J.H. BATESON.), the last two loose-mounted as worn.
Condition: minor contact wear to first and some minor damage to the box, overall Good Very Fine
Joseph Harger Bateson was born at Kendal, Westmorland in January 1865, the son of Sarah and Thomas Bateson J.P. Educated first at the Friends’ School, Kendal and later at Queen’s College, Taunton after which he attended the University of London, matriculating in January 1882. Having joined the military as a Chaplain Bateson was sent with the British troops to Burma as apprentice to Reverend W.B. Simpson.
The Free Church Army Chaplain 1830-1930 by J.H. Thomspon states:
‘The 1888 report notes that ‘happily all Chaplain’s service with one exception have been in peace. The exception was in Upper Burma where the Reverend J.H. Bateson has ministered to our troops engaged in pacifying that newly acquired territory. He has founded a Soldier’s Home in the Palace at Mandalay. On disbandment of the forces he is recommended ot transfer to the unoccupied garrisons of North West India.’
The medal roll notes his presence in theatre between 1st May 1887 – 14th April 1888. After the end of hostilities Bateson travelled to India from 1889. While here he married Rose Edmeades at Calcutta on 5th April 1892. The Free Church Army Chaplain 1830-1930 adds:
‘This is the point at which Wesleyan Chaplaincy work in India began to develop and Watkins attributes the spread of garrison chaplaincies in the Punjab to Bateson’s efforts as General Superintendent of the Bombay and Punjab District. In 1891 Bateson became secretary of the Royal Army Temperance Association in India, in which post he came to Lord Roberts’ notice. Temperance in the Victorian Army, not least in India, where a quarter of the troops were members of the Association, had strong official support.;
Having returned to Britain by 1911. Bateson was appointed Honorary Chaplain to the Forces, Territorial Army on 10th June. He resigned his positions on 11th October 1913 but returned to service during the Great War, being appointed Principal Chaplain to the Forces (Wesleyan) with the equivalent rank of Brigadier-General in 1917. He would be appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the London Gazette of 3rd June 1919.
During this time Bateson was a Member of the Interdenominational Advisory Committee Chaplaincy Services at the War Office. Also representative for the Methodist Church at the Admiralty and Air Ministry he would later be General Secretary of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Homes of the Methodist Church.
Bateson died at Wandsworth on 5th October 1935.
