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.
The Batley Tribunal heard 69 applications for exemptions for military service. Amongst them was Martin Judge, age 19, a Cooperative Wholesale Society Cloth Finisher, He was granted a temporary exemption until 12 January 1917.
St Mary’s School won more swimming honours:
SWIMMING GALA. —With the object of helping the Batley Hospital Wounded Soldiers’ Fund a scholars swimming gala was held at Batley Baths on Saturday afternoon. There was a good attendance of scholars and parents, and £2 8s. 4d. was realised. The principal events were the competitions for the George Hirst Challenge Cup for school girls and the Talbot Shield for school teams of boys. The heat winners for the Hirst Cup were Marion Bridges (Purlwell), Annie Adams (Parish Church), Dorothy Atha (Purlwell), and Lily Millman (Parish Church), and in the final round Annie Adams secured the cup for the Parish Church Schools. The competition for the Talbot trophy was taken part in by teams of three from eight schools, and the following were in the final: —Purlwell—Willie Whitaker, Isaac Jackson, Ronald Haigh. Mill Lane—Almond, Binks and Ramsden. St. Mary’s—Wm. Gallagher, John Phillips and Andrew Carney. Warwick Road—-Arnold Sands, Jas. Bailey, Joe Lumb. In the swim-off St Mary’s team won the Shield, Mill Lane being second, Purlwell third, and Warwick Road fourth. Gallagher, Phillips and Carney each received a silver medal. At the close of the competition an exhibition of ornamental swimming was given by Miss Lilian Castlehouse of Dewsbury, and her efforts were greatly applauded . Alderman H. North presided and distributed the prizes. Mr. G. R. H. Danby, M.A, (Director of Education), Mr, Charles Sedgbeer (Yorkshire Amateur Swimming Association), and Mr. Luther Booth (swimming instructor) acted as starters, and the following wounded soldiers from Batley Hospital were invited to be judges: Pte. E. Brown (Royal Essex Fusiliers), Pte. J. Cauton (King’s Liverpool Regiment), Pte. P. Gale (Somerset Light Infantry), and Riflemen G. Moore (Royal Irish Rifles).
Bridget Hughes received another letter from her French resident brother:
Kaiser Bill Sorry
Another interesting letter has been received by Mrs. Hughes, Coalpit Lane, Carlinghow, from her brother, Mr. James Karney, who lives just behind the British lines at Senlis, on the Aisne. He writes:—
“This terrible war is upsetting everyone. When will it finish? I am sure Kaiser Bill is sorry that he started it. He is now beginning to feel sick. Everywhere he looks he can see but ruin. I should like to get hold of him: but all that will come one day. He will have to pay dearly for his doings. The English are going on fine. They give the Germans no rest. That is the only way to beat them —keep them on the run. You say everything has gone up in price in England. Here things have gone up double. Coal is £6 a ton, meat 2s. 6d. a lb., butter 2s. 2d. a lb., eggs 2s. 5d. a dozen, and sugar is 1s. 2d. a lb., and that we cannot get often. So you see how we are now. Let us hope it will soon finish and that we can be in peace again.”
The award of the Military Medal to John Doyle was announced in this week’s paper. The first snippet was accompanied by a photo:
Private Doyle is a New Street hurrier who has been awarded the Military Medal. A racy letter from him is published on Page 8.
The main piece (which includes references to Thomas Foley and Lawrence Carney) read:
GALLANT IRISH BOYS
How a Batley Hurrier Distinguished Himself at Guillemont.
New Street’s Proud Record – A D.C.M. and M.M.
”Pack all your Troubles in the Old Kit Bag!”The Irish lads of the Heavy Woollen District are doing magnificent work for their King and Country, and New Street, Batley, which has already produced one Distinguished Conduct Medal winner (the late Private Foley) is this week credited with a Military Medalist – Private John Doyle.
Private Doyle, who is only 20 years of age, resided with Mr. John Collaran, of 12, New Street, before joining the Colours. He is a native of Batley, and as a boy attended St. Mary’s Day School, Cross Bank. He is also connected with St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, and a member of the Church Boys’ Brigade.
He was working as a hurrier at Soothill Wood Colliery when war broke out, and he promptly joined the Colours. He has been out at the Front 16 months.
Private Doyle has sent to Mr. Collaran the gallantry card he received. It reads thus:
“The Major General Commanding——-Division has received a report of the gallant conduct of 3231 Pte. J. Doyle, K.O.Y.L.I., on the 24th August, 1916, during an attack on Guillemont, and he wishes to congratulate him on his fine behaviour.”
This card is followed by a letter from Pte. Doyle, which reads:—
Just a few lines to let you know I am going on all right and as well as can be expected.
Well, I have some better news for you this time. I suppose by now you will have got the certificate. I hadn’t time to post it myself, so I got one of the sergeants to post it for me. We have just come out of the trenches.
We went over the top on Saturday afternoon, and took what we had to take. Very few Germans showed any fight. It was the old cry “Mercy, Kamerade.”
Our lads got bags of souvenirs. One of our Company touched for a new Iron Cross and ribbon. Bon souvenir, eh? I found a helmet, but I dumped it again as I hadn’t time to bother about souvenirs at my job.
The Second Time Recommended.
I am expecting my souvenir any time. If you want to know, it is the Military Medal. My Company Commander told me before going in the trenches this time that I had been awarded it. It is the second time I have been recommended, once at Ypres and the other as you will see by the certificate. Whether the Medal will be given to me personally or sent home for me I don’t know. I have been told the ribbon is at the orderly room.We have had it rough since we came down here. When we went over on Saturday we could have gone miles further, but we had to dig in where the plans were fixed. As usual our guns paved the way. We held what we took till the following night, when we were relieved. Fritz didn’t counter-attack up to us leaving. I don’t carry arms, but I had a couple of bombs handy. I have never thrown one, but I know how to handle one. A handy thing is one called —— Ask Fritz!
The German prisoners look as if they had nothing to eat for a month.
Well, we have bags of money. We have just got the biggest pay we have had since we came out here. What with that and 20 francs for helmets and revolvers and sword bayonets the lads are well away! All you have to do with your souvenirs is to go to the A.S.C. men, and they will buy them.
If we go back and passes start I am about the first now. Fritz has brought me to the front. Comprie? It is nearly 15 months now since I came out and the glimpse of home would be alright.
Since I last wrote you we went in for 24 hours, got relieved by the French, went out for 24 hours and then in again for six days. We then had 48 hours out and went in again for the attack, and whether we are going in again this way I don’t know. Just think of me when you are looking at the Somme pictures. I was very sorry to hear of Lorry Carney’s death.
You ask me if there are any signs of it being over. Well, I can’t tell you. If it rested with the German infantry it would be over now. He is getting pushed back every day in one part or another.
The Old Cry —-“Mercy, Kamerade!”
The Germans latest move is having as few men as possible in the front line when we attack. These men fire away like mad at our lads going across, then when our men are almost on them up go their hands and they short for mercy, after they have done all the damage.What gets over me is —they get it, as if they hadn’t fire[d] a single shot.
Germans’ Favourite Hobby — Firing at Stretcher Parties.
While our lads are digging in, and carrying wounded away they are at it on our right and left with machine guns, whether men are wounde[d] or not. It is a favourite hobby of their’s firing at stretcher parties.If ever you hear of me coming home, see there is a good square meal waiting. It is the biggest welcome a fellow could have. It does sound funny and far away does the word “home.” If ever a man realised the meaning of the song “Home, Sweet Home,” it is the man in the trenches. Still there is another song I take notice of just now and that is “Pack all you[r] troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile!”
Footnotes:
1. Correct service number is 3/3123
PastToPresentGenealogy 