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Yorkshire
Regiment War Graves, - Sheffield (St. Michael's) Roman Catholic Cemetery |
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A
view of Sheffield (St. Michael's) Roman Catholic Cemetery showing the chapel
Photo by Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)
Sheffield (St. Michael's) Roman Catholic Cemetery contains 30 burials from both World Wars, - 24 from the First World War and 6 from the Second.
Burials are on a hill, which has become very overgrown. The Commonwealth War Graves are at the top of this hill, away from the chapel, and all are marked by grey granite headstones. Two soldiers who served with the Yorkshire Regiment are buried in the cemetery.
There are also 2 family headstones on which a soldier who served in the Yorkshire
Regiment is commemorated.
We are very grateful to Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)
and Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>) for providing the photographs
relating to this cemetery and the Yorkshire Regiment headstones.
Select the thumbnail image of a headstone for a larger sized image which opens in a new window.
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Captain Michael Delaney. Yorkshire Regiment and 16th Group H.Q. Royal Air Force. Husband of Alice Delaney, of 34, Dixon Rd., Hillsborough, Sheffield. 25 years' service. Born at Middlesbrough. Died 29 March 1919. Aged 46. "OF YOUR CHARITY
PRAY FOR THE SOUL OF THE ABOVE MAY HE REST IN PEACE" Photo by Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>) Biographical notes on Michael Delaney may be read by selecting this link. |
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Serjeant George Parker. 9109. 11th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late E. and W. Parker, husband of Sarah Parker, of 14, Normandale Rd., Sheffield. Died at home 15 February 1916. Aged 50. Born Kidderminster, Enlisted Sheffield.
"ON WHOSE SOUL
SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY" Photo by Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) |
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Lance Serjeant William Kenyon Birtles,
15874. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Henry and Annie Birtles, of Sheffield. Died of wounds 10 January 1917. Aged 27. Born Blackburn (Lancs), Enlisted Sheffield. Buried ETAPLES CEMETERY. Photo by Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>) "PRAY
FOR THE SOULD OF / ANNIE, THE BELOVED WIFE OF HENRY BIRTLES WHO DIED FEB 14TH 1915 FORTIFIED BY THE LAST SACRAMENTS / AGED 55 YEARS ALSO FOR JOHN AND WILLIAM BIRTLES SONS OF THE ABOVE WHO WERE BOTH KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE AND DIED HEROIC DEATHS JOHN DIED AUG 23RD 1915 AGED 21 YEARS WILLIAM DIED JAN 10TH 1917 AGED 26 YEARS SWEET JESUS GRANT THEM ETERNAL REST ASLO THE ABOVE NAMED WILLIAM BIRTLES WHO DIED NOV 20TH 1920 AGED 68 YEARS" |
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Serjeant James Reilly. 3/8884. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of James and Sarah Reilly, of 4 in 1 House, Savile St. East, Sheffield. Killed 5 July 1916. Aged 24. Born Sheffield, Enlisted Attercliffe (Sheffield). Commemorated on Pier and Face 3A & 3D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL Photo by Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>) SWEET
JESUS HAVE MERCY ON THE SOUL OF JAMES REILLY / WHO DIED JAN 22 1931 / AGED 68 YEARS ALSO SERJT. JAMES REILLY, 9TH YORKS REGT DIED IN THE GREAT WAR JULY 5TH 1916, AGED 24 YEARS, ALSO SARAH REILLY,/DIED AUG 6TH 1933 AGE 65 YEARS. ALSO SON OF THE ABOVE L/BDR THOMAS REILLY, R.A. DIED SEP 19TH 1937 AGE 45 YEARS. MARY REILLY / DIED APRIL 9TH 1979, AGED 84 YEARS, ANNIE GARNER,/DIED OCT 22ND 1990 AGED 92YEARS REUNITED WITH HER HUSBAND EDWIN GARNER / DIED SEP 20TH 1968 AGED 77 YEARS" |
A view of Sheffield (St. Michael's) Roman Catholic Cemetery showing the general
condition
Photo by Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)
In the 1891 Census, Michael Delaney was shown as having been born in 1876,
and was the son of Bernard and Mary Delaney.
The Delaney family was living in 26 Cleveland Street, Middlesbrough, - together
with 6 children (including Michael), a grandmother, and 36 lodgers! Mr and
Mrs Delaney were heads of this household.
Michael Delaney was shown as being a Shipyard Labourer.
On 8 December 1892 Michael Delaney enlisted in the Yorkshire Regiment in Richmond.
Fortunately much of his Service Record still exists in the National Archives,
and from this we can see that;-
a. He was an exemplary soldier. He was a gym instructor for 10 years, and
made an excellent Colour Sergeant - being sober, hard working, and very reliable.
b. He saw service in South Africa in 1901 and 1902, including the Relief of
Kimberley, Paardeberg, and Drifontein.
c. He was awarded a siilver Medal for long service in April 1913.
d. He completed his service on 7 December 1913, retiring as a Company Quarter
Master Sergeant.
He married Alice Webster in Sheffield in 1906, and on his death he and his
wife were liiving at 137 Channing Street, Sheffield.
He was the father of Margaret Mary (1907), Jack (1908), and Harry (1912).
On the outbreak of war he re-enlisted in the Yorkshire Regiment (or was recalled
from the Reserves?) and was commissioned as a Lieutenant.
He joined the 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, and was posted to France on
26 August 1915.
Sometime after this he joined the HQ 16th Group Royal Air Force York, - a
training group formed 1st April 1918. His rank in the RAF was, by now, Captain.
The greater part of his war service would have been with the Yorkshire Regiment,
though we have no details of this.
He died, of "natural causes", in the Military Hospital, York, on 29 March 1919 aged 46. (Ref. RAF Officer Deaths 12.11.18 - 31.12.28)