The 28 September 1918 edition of the Batley News again included more St Mary’s parishioners, all with a military link, so I have put their names in bold. As ever, the spelling and punctuation matches that of the newspaper.
Two parishioners were before the magistrates this week. Thomas Gavaghan and James Phillips were discharged soldiers.
Discharged Soldiers Fight Each Other
For using obscene language in Upper Commercial Street, on Friday, September 6th. Thomas Gavaghan, discharged soldier, was fined 10s. on Monday. —Constable Pickles saw defendant near the West End Hotel fighting another discharged soldier, James Phillips, of 12, Fleming Street. When parted and told to go home they used bad language to each other, went down the street and commenced fighting again. Both were under the influence of drink. —Nine previous convictions were reported against Gavaghan, who had served in the Dardanelles, Egypt, France and Belgium, and had only been home three weeks. —Phillips, who was also summoned, failed to appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
James Phillips did not evade justice for long. By the end of the week he was in court.
With 18 previous convictions against him, James Phillips, a discharged soldier, residing in Fleming Street was fined 20s. at Batley to-day for using obscene language in Upper Commercial Street.
The final piece is prophetic, given the problems that did face returning soldiers at the end of the war. It was written by William Henry Skelly, born into a Catholic family (son of Thomas and Mary Ellen Skelly), although now no longer practising.
A Plea From a Wounded Soldier
Private W. H. Skelly, Lancaster Regiment, who is in hospital in France, wounded in the hand and face, writes to the “Batley News,” as follows:— “After the wanton destruction of Belgium and parts of France, and such cowardly acts as the sinking of the Lusitania, the brutal murder of Nurse Cavell and Captain Fryatt, the sinking of hospital ships, and the slaughter of innocent women and children, and the loss of thousands of our best men, we see Germany trying to make peace now. Now that it is coming home to them they don’t like to swallow it, but every Allied soldier out here means to be revenged…It won’t be long before the greatest war the world has ever known comes to an end, and freedom and liberty for the civilised world has been obtained, then I hope the brave men who have kept the enemy from dear old England will not have to work for a wage just sufficient to keep them in existence. See to it that those who have stood the strain for more than four years may have a comfortable prospect when they settle down in their homes again.”
Past To Present Genealogy 