Name: Edward Lynch
Rank: Gunner
Unit/Regiment: Royal Artillery, 373 Battery, 43 (5th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment [West Riding]) Searchlight Regiment
Service Number: 4686579
Date of Death: 10 March 1944
Cemetery: Batley Cemetery
Edward Lynch was one of several men who died in the Second World War who were sons of St Mary’s parishioners who lost their lives as a result of the Great War.
Edward was born in Batley on 21 March 1911, the second son of coal hewer John Thomas Lynch and Alice Cawthorne. In the census taken on 31 March 1911 Edward is recorded at the family home of 5 Yard, 2 Taylor Street, aged under one month. Nine days later he was baptised at St Mary’s by the then curate, and later parish priest, Fr. Peter McBride.
Edward’s parents married at Batley St Mary of the Angels on 1 February 1908, and spent the first years of married life in the Taylor Street area of town – the street in which Edward was born.1
The couple’s first-born, James Patrick, survived for only three days, being buried on 4 January 1909 at Batley cemetery. It was a burial without any religious service as James had not survived long enough to be baptised. This was also the fate of their third child, John, born in October 1912, who lived for only two days, with his burial taking place in the cemetery on 19 October. Some time after John’s death, the family moved to Timothy Lane, Upper Batley.
Edward’s father, having previous army service, left home at the outbreak of war, serving with the West Yorkshire Regiment. Rising to the NCO rank of Sergeant, John Thomas Lynch was killed in action on 21 July 1917. When names were being sought for inclusion on Batley War Memorial, it was 12-year-old Edward who completed the form submitting his father’s name.
Following her husband’s death, Alice was awarded a military small pension to hell support her son, but lost any rights for a widow’s pension when she remarried, again at St Mary of the Angels, on 27 December 1920. Her new husband, Edward’s step-father, was Bradford-born joiner Daniel Skelly.
The family’s address in the 1921 census was 1 Rosebank Street, which stood off Cross Bank Road in Carlinghow, Batley. This was handily placed for Daniel’s place of work, Cross Street in the town centre, his employer being joiner Paul Kenyon. The address was also within a few minutes walking distance from Edward’s school, St Mary’s. Three months after this census Edward’s half-sister, Irene, was born.
Edward married Clara Taylor on 18 August 1930 at St Mary of the Angels. The couple’s son, Edward Peter (known as Peter), was born in the summer of 1934 – war was a little over five years away.
Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, following the German invasion of Poland. On 29 September 1939, what is known as the 1939 Register was taken. A snapshot of the civilian population, amongst other things it was used to produce identity cards and, once rationing was introduced in January 1940, to issue ration books. Clara Lynch and son Peter were recorded at Back Cross Street in Birstall. Edward, who was a miner employed at Birkenshaw Colliery in civilian life, was not in the family home.
With the Register excluding military personnel, unless they were on leave, it can be inferred Edward was already with his unit. The outbreak of war immediately saw many Territorial Army (TA) men, whose regular training had stepped up as the political situation deteriorated, reporting to the various Drill Halls up and down the country.
Edward’s headstone records he served with the 373 Battery, 43 (5th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment [West Riding]), Searchlight Regiment. A Searchlight Regiment was part of the country’s all-important air defences. Operating powerful searchlights to illuminate the night sky, the task of a Searchlight Regiment was to pick out enemy aircraft for the anti-aircraft guns to target.
Edward’s Searchlight Regiment was formed in 1940 with the transfer of 41 (5th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers (TA) to the Royal Artillery. 1 Throughout Edward’s time with them, the Regiment served in the Anti-Aircraft Command, and it was UK based.
In July 1943, after four year’s service, Edward was discharged from the Army for health reasons. He returned to the family home, now at Chandler Hill in Birstall. He died on 10 March 1944, and was buried in Batley Cemetery three days later. His headstone bears the epitaph:
THE HEARTS THAT LOVED YOU
ALWAYS
ARE THE HEART
THAT NEVER FORGET
Edward, who was a member of the British Legion, is commemorated on Batley War Memorial.
The biography of his father, John Thomas Lynch, can be read here.
Footnotes:
1. This level of birthplace detail was recorded tor the family in their 1921 census entry.
2. There is contradictory evidence as to the month in 1940 with The British Military History website indicating January 1940, with the Royal Artillery 1939-45 website stating August 1940.
Sources:
• 2nd Anti-Aircraft Division (1936-1938), https://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2017/12/2-Anti-Aircraft-Division-1936-38-.pdf
• 1911 and 1921 Censuses (England & Wales).
• 1939 Register
• Batley Cemetery Burial Registers.
• Batley News, 18 March 1944.
• Batley St Mary of the Angels Parish Registers.
• Batley War Memorial.
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
• General Register Office Indexes.
• Pension Ledgers and Index Cards.
• Royal Artillery 1939-1945, 43 (5th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA) – https://ra39-45.co.uk/units/searchlight-regiments/43-5th-duke-of-wellingtons-searchlight-regiment-rata.
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