PRO IUNVA 
On Saturday 31 May 1980 Sgt Edward (Ted) Yeates, A Coy, 47 Inf Bn UNIFIL died when the Panhard APC he was travelling in overturned. He was the patrol commander and he was in the turret when the accident happened. The vehicle patrol was returning to Coy HQ at Brashit (6-16) from the area of Beit Yahoun when the accident happened, nine other soldiers received non-life threatening injuries. An obstacle had been built with rocks partially blocking the track and the APC turned over as the driver was trying to bypass it. Sgt Yeates was the seventh member of the DF to die while serving in Lebanon.
He joined the DF in 1962 and his home unit was the 2 Mot Sqn Griffith Bks, Dublin. He was 43 years old and had previously served with the UN in the Congo as a Tpr with the Armd Car Gp, 39 Inf Bn from Apr to Oct 1963 and he completed four tours in Cyprus. He served with UNFICYP with the Armd Car Gp, 41 Inf Bn as a Cpl from Oct 1964 to Mar 1965, with Armd Car Gp 6 Inf Gp from Apr to Oct 1966, with 21 Inf Gp from Oct 1971 to Apr 1972.
Some reader might be able to fill in details of his fourth tour in Cyprus as available unit histories do not cover this tour.
He was married to Avril and they had three children.
He was a native of Cabra and he lived at Virginia Pk Finglas South, Dublin.
On Thursday 5 Jun, his coffin was taken from Dublin Airport to St Oliver Plunkett’s Church in Finglas and his funeral mass was on the following morning at 1000 hours followed by burial at Glasnevin Cemetery.
He was survived by his wife Avril, his sons and his daughter.
I measc na naomh go raibh sé.
Photo caption: Sgt Ted Yeates, credit Military Archives.
