Here is this week’s round-up of pieces from the Batley News relating to the parish of St Mary’s. As usual I have put in bold the names of those connected to the parish who served with the military. And, as ever, the spelling and punctuation matches that of the newspaper.
Another letter from Gunner Walter Waite appeared this week:
WHAT KUT IS LIKE.
“Hundreds of Miles From Anywhere.”
Gunner Waite’s Message From Place Well-Known in the Bible.Gunner Walter Waite, who is with the Artillery attached to the Indian Expeditionary Force, writing under date July 12th from Mesopotamia to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Waite, of Beck Lane, Carlinghow, says:—
“I cannot tell you anything about here as every letter is censored, but it is terribly hot – 120 degrees again to-day. There is a lot of sickness; it is awful. We hear no news about home and France. We are hundreds of miles from anywhere. I expect that a lot will think Kut is a big place. It is only a few mud huts. God only knows when I shall see you all again, but cheer up and live in hopes. I am at a place well-known in the Bible. I will tell you all if I am spared. I only wish they would shift us from here before the wet weather comes on. There is very little fighting going on. We have lost more from sickness than shell, by a long way. I wish you could get some news here. I shall be about as big as ——(naming a fifteen year old girl) by the time I have finished here. It is hard lines to see some poor fellows walking about. You would be surprised what diseases there are. I could tell you some news about here if I dare, but you might have heard a bit of it.”
Not slow to seize on a sales opportunity, elsewhere in the paper was the following pitch, adding some sentences not in Walter Waite’s original printed letter:
Why Not?
“I have never had a paper from home. We hear no news about home and France. I wish you I could get some news here,” writes Gunner Walter Waite, who is serving in Mesopotamia. Why not send him THE “News”!
The newspaper reports of Military Service Appeals Tribunals were hit and miss at giving the names of those appealing against their call up for military service. But this week St Mary’s man Michael Maguire1 featured:
Appeals Dismissed – With Time Allowances
Michael Maguire, 29, Willeyer, Batley, at R. Brearley and Sons (no appearance). —Fourteen days.
Later that month he joined his Army unit.
The Roll of Honour this week put together from casualties reported by the War Office included the following from St Mary’s:
KILLED
Batley – W. BARBER, K.O.Y.L.I.
Batley – P. CAFFERTY, K.O.Y.L.I.
In news back home two parishioners, Annie Ryan and Thomas Foley, were in trouble. The latter had recently been discharged from the army:
LOCAL POLICE NEWS
Batley Court – Monday.AFTER A FAMILY GATHERING AT THORNHILL!
—The plea that she had been to a family gathering at Thornhill and had had rather more drink than she was accustomed to take, was advanced by Annie Ryan, married woman, Russell Street, Batley, who was summoned for having been drunk and inscapable [sic] on 23rd ult.—Constable Worsfold said that 11.10 p.m. he was on duty in Bradford Road with Sergt. Tomlinson when they saw the accused assisted from a tramcar. In Bar Street she fell, and when they got her up they found she could not use her feet at all. —Accused added to her previous [plan?] that she had a bad leg. About seven of her friends were with her, and if the police had left her alone her friends would have got her up. —-Fined 8s.
KICKED A SPECIAL CONSTABLE. —Thomas Foley (46), miner, of no fixed residence, was charged with being drunk and riotous on Friday night. He pleaded guilty. —Constable Pickles said he found the man in Commercial Street very drunk, shouting, and making use of bad language in the presence of a large number of people, including young girls. When advised to go home he went a few yards and commenced using bad language again. The man became so violent that witness had to secure the assistance of two special Constables.
—Special Constable G. H. Oxley supported the statements of Constable Pickles, and said the man used obscene language in the presence of a lady. Foley kicked him on the shin. Witness and Special Constable A. Shackleton assisted to take the man to the police station. —Accused: Show your markets? [sic] —The “Special” showed his leg to the magistrates. —The Chairman (Mr. A. W. Taylor): A kick on the shin bone. It is a dangerous place. —Accused: That is not a kick of my boots. They would not mark like that. They’re not strong enough. I had a drop took [sic] much, and it took effect on me. —The Chairman: You admit were drunk. You hardly know what you did. —Inspector Ripley said there were 17 previous convictions. Accused was discharged from the Army on August 4th and received the money due to him on the 23rd. It appeared he had been spending it on the 25th. —In ordering the payment of a fine of 20s. and 3s. in witness’ fee (or in default 12 days) the Chairman said it was a bad case.
However, even at home thoughts of the impact of the war was never far away. In a preview of the Northern Union (Rugby League as we know it today) football season reference was made to Robert Randerson and Jimmy Lyons:
“Where are the Boys of the Old Brigade?”
Batley are not expecting to have much trouble in placing a good side in the field with a fair amount of regularity, although their Roll of Honour will compare favourably with that of most clubs.Two of their best – Jack Tindall and “Bob” Randerson – made the “great sacrifice” long ago. “Billy” Fenton is still in hospital and so badly injured that there are no hopes of him ever donning the jersey again, and “Jimmy” Lyons is [s]till nursing an injured shoulder in Lincoln Hospital….
Footnotes:
1. In other records his surname is recorded as McGuire
Past To Present Genealogy 