He was a member of the RAFVR, called up in late 1939, trained as a pilot officer in 1940 and was shot down by a Messerschmidt 109 and killed in action in early 1941 piloting a Blenheim IV, whilst returning from a mission bombing a viaduct during the invasion of Crete by German Forces [1][2][3] Francis Stewart Montague Bates was educated at Appuldurcombe College on the Isle of Wight.

After the Boer War, Montague-Bates was in July 1902 seconded for four years to the South African Constabulary organised by Major-General Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement.

When World War I broke out in August 1914, Montague-Bates was serving as adjutant of the 6th Battalion East Surreys, a Territorial Force unit based at Kingston upon Thames.

[1][3][4][7] In November 1914 he was sent to the Western Front with a draft of reinforcements to join the 2nd Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, which had suffered badly in the First Battle of Ypres.

Casualties were heavy in the barely reformed battalions, but senior commanders testified to the gallantry and devotion they had shown in attempting an impossible task.

[13] When a more senior officer of the Queen's arrived at the end of the year, Montague-Bates reverted to his previous rank of captain and became adjutant of the battalion until after the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, when he was posted to fill the same appointment with the Warwicks.

[7][14] At first the British Salonika Army was restricted to digging into its bridgehead around the port (nicknamed 'The Birdcage'), but in April, the brigade led the way inland towards the Bulgarian frontier.

The staff officer wrongly believed that Montague-Bates had resigned his commission, and wrote that 'Monty' was 'a great loss to the army, for though not liked by many, was a first-class soldier'.

[20] On return to the United Kingdom Montague-Bates had to relinquish his temporary rank of brigadier general and reverted to the Brevet lieutenant colonelcy he had been awarded in June 1916.

[21] He rejoined the 2nd Battalion, East Surreys and in June 1921 he became Officer Commanding Troops at Dublin Castle during the peak of the violence during the Anglo-Irish War.