South Yorkshire Times November 10, 1947

Twetve German prisoners-of-war from No. 52 Prisoner-of-War camp at Nether Headon, near Retford, where Private Lawrence Arthur Batty, 8 Tennyson Avenue Mexborough, 19 years-old soldier, was pay clerk, attended his funeral at Mexborough on Wednesday.

At the request of his parents some of them acted as bearers.

Pte. Batty was found lying Injured shortly after 5 a.m. on Saturday on the footpath near the junction of Clayfield Road and Doncaster Road, Mexborough. His cycle was nearby. There was a dense fog at the time.

Mr. and, Mrs. Batty told a “South Yorkshire Times” reporter yesterday that their son loved the Germans and had “converted four of them.” Three of his converts had returned to Germany, but the fourth, Hans, attended the funeral and brought with him a bunch of flowers.

After greeting Mrs. Batty before the funeral, the 12 Germans lined up on each side of the coffin and said the Lord’s Prayer in German. “The German boys were heartbroken when they knew they had lost Lawrence, ‘ Mrs. Batty said. “He used to read the Gospel in French and German for them.” Pte, Batty, who had been to many other prisoner-of-war camps with Pastor W. L. Richards, of Worksop Assembly of God, was a Sunday School teacher at Rotherham Assemblies of God and came home nearly every week-end, to take his class.     On Saturday he was on telephone duty at the camp so he came home on Friday to see his parents and let them know he could not take the class.

Before being conscripted Pte. Batty was a trainee at Parkgate Forge. He has a brother and a sister and was educated at Mexborough Secondary School.

It was very foggy at the time and Mr Batty called goodbye from the bedroom window and advised his son to be careful on account of the fog. Batty replied that he would be all right.

Witness Commended.

George Arthur Jones, colliery filler, of 10, Morton Road, Mexborough, who was later complimented by the Coroner on the way he had given his evidence, stated that at about 5-40 a.m. on Saturday he was going to his work at Denahy Main Colliery. When in Hirstgate he noticed a soldier cycle past him towards Doncaster R0ad.

Witness continued walking into Doncaster Road, and at the end of Clayfield Road he noticed the soldier lying across the footpath with his head at the base of an electrical switch-box. The cycle was six or seven yards past him on the Denaby side.  From his position it seemed that he had struck the switch-box with his head.

Witness said that before he saw Batty lying on the pavement when he had been walking behind a Rotherham Corporation trackless bus, which had got off the wires. It was stationary about 10 yards away. He was certain that the bus had not collided at any time with the cyclist