Edmund Battye was drowned in a training accident on this day in 1915
Edmund Battye was born in Bruntcliffe, Morley on 29 October 1892. His parents were John and Margaret Battye (née Fitzpatrick). Edmund’s birth certificate states his father worked as a coal miner.
Edmund joined the local “Terriers” of the 4th KOYLI in early 1914, mobilising with them in August that year. In November of 1914 the battalion moved to Gainsborough, Lincolnshire for training and where tragedy was to strike which sent shock waves through the Heavy Woollen area of the West Riding.
On Friday 19 February, Captain Harold Hirst, of Dewsbury, was in command of “D” Company comprising about 190 men. Half went for section drill in a field, whilst the other half, supervised by Captain Hirst, were taken to a neighbouring pond of water near the banks of the River Trent to learn about raft-building.
What happened next is described by a fellow soldier
As we approached…I saw the raft pushed off, and she floated quite level and well out of the water. It moved slowly towards the centre of the pond, and I saw Lance-Corpl. Punyer put his pole into the water as if intending to put the raft back to the shore. The whole of the pole disappeared in the water and the man’s wrist also went under. I heard him say ‘I cannot touch bottom here, sir.’ There was then a slight movement amongst the men on the raft, with the result that the raft went under on one side, The men then moved to the other side and they were thrown into the water, and the raft ‘shot’ towards the bank. I took off my equipment. I saw a man (Crayton) was in difficulties, and I jumped in and got him to the raft. Lance-Corpl. Chappell, who had also jumped in, helped me get him to the raft. When I was in the centre of the pond getting this man out I saw no others in the water at all. I don’t think any of the deceased men came to the surface again.
To read more about the incident in which Edmund Battye and six other men from the 4th KOYLI lost their lives click here: A training accident goes horribly wrong
