Hugh was born in West Derby, Liverpool in 1892, the son of Horace, a financial journalist, and Mary (nee Speed). Hugh was employed as a Tea Broker's Clerk in the 1911 census. His brother Arthur Speed Bateman also served in the battalion before the war, but joined the Royal Tank Corps during the war. He first joined the 25th Londons in 1910. His pre war Service record includes the following :- Enlisted - Fulham House 2 Feb 1910 No. 692 Age - 18yrs 2 mths Occupation on application - Clerk Employer - Albion Iron Co., Upper Thamses St. Residence - 7 Upper Mill Cottages, Southend, Catford, London. Service - Annual training - Lewes 24 Jul 1910 - 7 Aug 1910             - Annual training - Rye 5 Aug 1911 - 12 Aug 1911             - Annual training Bury St. Edmonds 7 Sep 1912 - 21 Sep 1912. Next of Kin - Horace Newland Bateman, same address. He was granted the usual war medals for action in the Waziristan campaign in 1917. He was invalided back to England. Unforunately his war service record and the reason of his invalidity appear to be among the WW1 records lost during the WW2. Many of the soldiers in the Waziristan campaign contracted malaria, also some were badly affected by heat stroke. Or he could have suffered one of the "normal" illnesses of the time such as TB.   He died on the 3 Aug 1918 and was buried in Brookwood cemetery.

There are two entries relating to Hugh Bateman in the battalion's journal 'The Londoner' :-

V.2, No.1, May-Aug 1917, page 15
In an account by Sgt. C.J. White :-
"Three months or so after war broke out I was taken in hand by Cyc. Bateman of old F Coy. whom doubtless many of the old 1st Battalion will remember. He was a capital trainer, having done a considerable amount of professional boxing in his time. Although not fond of hard work himself, he believed in making his pupils do plenty. He quite realised that in Army boxing the A.B.A. style was not so much use so spent his time teaching me in-fighting and ring-craft."

V.3, No.1, Aug-Sep 1918, page 23
"Sergt H. BATEMAN.
By the death in Paddington Hospital on 3rd August last Sergt. 'Hughie' Bateman the battalion lost one of its most popular sergeants and oldest members.
Sergt. Bateman joined up old "A" Coy. as long as 1910, and as with anything he took up, he threw himself heart and soul into the Territorial work and soon became a most efficient member. Leaving the battalion in the early months of 1914, he was one of the considerable number of old members who rejoined immediately on the outbreak of war; presenting himself for enlistment on August 5th. He was again posted to his old company, where all his previous service had been spent. He received his corporal's rank at Chiseldon and Sergt's stripes just before the battalion left for Waziristan. He was with the battalion throughout the operations, being in charge "A" Coy's Lewis Gun Team.
Being so well know throughout the battalion for his sportsmanship and unfailing cheerfulness in all circumstances, he was badly missed when he was invalided to England in February of this year.

Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19

Bateman, Hugh, born Liverpool, resident Catford, enlisted Fulham, 740218, A/Sgt., died at home, 3 Aug 1918.

['Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19', Vol. 10, Part 76, Page 206, 25th (County of London) Battalion (Cyclists), pub. 1921 by His Majesty's Stationary Office]

In Memory of

Serjeant HUGH BATEMAN

740218, 25th Bn., London Regiment (Cyclists)

who died age 26 on 03 August 1918
 
Son of Horace Newland Bateman and Mary Bateman, of Sheffield, Yorks. Also served on the N.W. Frontier (India), 1917.
 
Remembered with honour Brookwood Military Cemetery, Grave Ref. XIII. C. 8B.

   
Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY is owned by the Commission and is the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom , covering approximately 37 acres. In 1917, an area of land in Brookwood Cemetery (The London Necropolis) was set aside for the burial of men and women of the forces of the Commonwealth and Americans, who had died, many of battle wounds, in the London district. Brookwood Military Cemetery now contains 1,601 Commonwealth burials of the First World War

[Courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commission]