2nd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment.

Awarded the Military Medal in the London Gazette of 16 August 1916.

Awarded a bar to his Military Medal in the London Gazette of 6 January 1917.

Batty was a native of Burnley, Lancashire.

From the Burnley Express of 3 April 1915, Two Burnley Lads Home - Wounded in the same battle. At present home on furlough suffering from wounds sustained at the front are two Burnley soldiers who, in different companies, have been through the fighting together in the East Lancashires. They are Privates S. Malone (6127), and J. Batty, and both, singularly enough, were wounded in the same district, the place that as been named, and named appropriately, by our soldiers as "Plug Street". Batty's wound was caused by shrapnel, and was in the right knee.

From the Burnley Express of 11 October 1916, Burnley Sergeants Medal - Only doing his duty. Mrs. J. Batty of Penny Street, Burnley has received a letter from her husband Sergeant J. Batty, of the East Lancashire Regiment, dated 27 September 1916, in which he says, "Just a few lines hoping to find you in the best of health, as it leaves me at present. I have great pleasure in telling you I have been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field, but I don't know what I got it for - I was only doing my duty. I am sure they have made a great fuss of me. My colonel and all the officers have been to congratulate me, and said I was most deserving of it." He adds that he has been inquiring about Ben Place, and has been informed that he was killed on 7 July. Sergeant Batty was at camp with the Special Reserve when war broke out, and he got to the front in September 1914. He had done five years service with the East Lancashires (on Special Reserve), and he received a shrapnel wound in the right knee on 3 March 1915. In April 1915, he came home to Burnley, after being in hospital in Brighton.

The Burnley Express of 10 January 1917 reported, BAR TO HIS MEDAL. Burnley Sergeants Second Honour. The King has been pleased to award a bar to his Military Medal for bravery to Sergeant J. Batty, of the East Lancashire Regiment. Sergeant Batty's home is in Penny Street, Burnley. The rest of the report goes on to repeat those from earlier editions.

The Burnley Express of February 1918 reported, DURING A BOMBARDMENT. Military Medallist's Career Ended. Sec-Lieut. H.K. Roberts, an Accrington officer, has written to Mrs. Batty, 8, Penny Street, Burnley, (whose husband he commended), telling of Sergeant Batty's death. He writes: - "I deeply regret to inform you of the death of your husband, Sergeant J. Batty, who was killed in action on February 16th. I don't know whether you have already received news of his death, but I will try to describe what happened, as I was not far away when he was killed. On Saturday morning February 16th, the Germans were bombarding our trenches, and at about 11:30 a.m., one of the shells burst in the trench, killing your husband and wounding several others. I immediately rushed up to him, but arrived too late, as he must have been killed instantaneously. Your husband had been my platoon sergeant for over five months, and was the best N.C.O., I ever had. He could be trusted to do anything, and always did it well. I had the greatest confidence in him, and he never failed me in anything. He was immensely popular with the N.C.O.'s and men of my platoon, and a good sportsman, always willing to take part in our platoon football matches and games. I don't know how to express my sympathy and sorrow, but let me assure you of the deepest sympathy of the platoon and myself." From another source comes the story of another piece of valour quite recently on his part. He dug out an officer and man during the fighting. Sergeant Batty was 28 years of age and had previous to his death been wounded three times. The first during the battle of Mons. Before the war he was a collier at Bank Hall Pit. He was on the St. Mary's R.C. Roll of Honour. Although the report is longer, most of the remainder repeats what has already been published.

"Soldiers Died in the Great War" shows: - Killed in action on the 17 February 1918. Batty was born and enlisted at Burnley, Lancashire. Batty has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in France.