Accrington Pals.

Retlaw · 30-06-2011, 21:47

At 1815 hours 95 years ago, the Pals moved out of Warnimont Wood, and began their journey to the front, laden down with extra ammunition, Mills bombs, picks, shovels, and some with coils of barbed wire.
Their journey was a distance of seven miles through crowded trenches, and other obstacles, so much so that it took 10 hours before they were finally in place, spread out over a distance of 350 yards, in Mathew, Mark, Copse, Campion & Monk Trenches.
Awaiting their fate.
Retlaw.

dusty mears · 30-06-2011, 21:52

i hope people will take the time tomorrow to attend the commemoration at the pals memorial, church st, 9.15am

steve2qec · 01-07-2011, 08:13

Can't make it - at work, but I'll be checking out the new display at the art gallery this weekend!

cashman · 01-07-2011, 09:21

was a nice little service, had the pleasure of meeting retlaw, the supper room in the town hall after, brew wasn't ready, after 10 mins sodded off to a cafe.

Retlaw · 01-07-2011, 21:56

July 1st 1916, now that darkness has descended on the battlefield, over 100 men of W. Coy who were wounded earlier in the day, are now, helping one another to get back to the British lines, leaving many of their comrades dead on the battlefield, it would take some of these men two or more days of crawling from shell hole to shell hole, with no food and very little water, before their wounds could be treated.
The total for Accrington alone was 70 dead, and 132 wounded, some of those wounded would suffer for years after. One man who died from war related wounds in 1940, was found on his autopsy to still have shrapnel in his back.

Retlaw

garinda · 01-07-2011, 22:22

It's hard to imagine today, the utter heartbreak and devastation, that a little town like Accrington suffered on that one fateful day.

A whole generation of lads wiped out, or horrifically injured, who were someone's sons, husbands, dads, sweetheart, workmates, neighbours, and friends.

They shall never be forgotten.

garinda · 01-07-2011, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

They shall never be forgotten.

Retlaw · 01-07-2011, 23:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

It's hard to imagine today, the utter heartbreak and devastation, that a little town like Accrington suffered on that one fateful day.

A whole generation of lads wiped out, or horrifically injured, who were someone's sons, husbands, dads, sweetheart, workmates, neighbours, and friends.

They shall never be forgotten.

Every one thinks July 1st 1916 was just the Accrington Pals, but 23 Accrington men serving in other regiments, also lost their lives in the same battle.
Oswaldtwistle had 29 casualties in the 11th E.L., that day.
Retlaw.

cashman · 01-07-2011, 23:22

always been a bone of contention wi me that the story of the pals wasn't taught in history in local schools, instead we learnt about Romans etc n some geek that got n arrow in his eye. i had no knowledge of the pals until years after i left school. think its a bit of a poor do.

steeljack · 02-07-2011, 00:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

always been a bone of contention wi me that the story of the pals wasn't taught in history in local schools, instead we learnt about Romans etc n some geek that got n arrow in his eye. i had no knowledge of the pals until years after i left school. think its a bit of a poor do.

will second that , but for the work of like folks like Retlaw and Bill Turner's book about the Accrington Pals doubt very much that many of us would know anyting about the "Pals" .
Seems to me youngsters today know more about Ghandi and Mandela than their own history

Bernard Dawson · 02-07-2011, 09:33

Went to the Accrington Pals exhibition up at the Art Gallery yesterday. Well worth a visit, well done to Walter and all those involved. The gallery is also now open 5 days a week, closed Monday and Tuesday. There's also a cafe going to be opening at the gallery in a couple of months time,which should add to the appeal of the gallery.

Retlaw · 02-07-2011, 12:03

[quote=garinda;916068]It's hard to imagine today, the utter heartbreak and devastation, that a little town like Accrington suffered on that one fateful day.

A whole generation of lads wiped out, or horrifically injured, who were someone's sons, husbands, dads, sweetheart, workmates, neighbours, and friends.

They shall never be forgotten.

Accrington's WW1 War Memorial, which is reputed to be the biggest outside London, has 858 names on 11 panels & 21 names on an addenda panel on the side, making 879 in total.
My research has found that 11 of those names are double entries, and 10 have spelling mistakes, then we have the 83 men who were born, or lived in Accrington, who are not on that Memorial, some would argue, that some of the names I've found don't qualify, if they were no longer living in Accrington when war was declared.
To me that is nit picking. Those same people are quick to jump on the Accringtonian platform, if some one wins a medal at the Olympics, or even a singing contest.

Retlaw.

cashman · 03-07-2011, 15:39

we had a sneck up the Haworth this afternoon, was very interesting thanks to all fer taking the time n trouble.

Tealeaf · 03-07-2011, 17:31

[quote=Retlaw;916174]

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Accrington's WW1 War Memorial, which is reputed to be the biggest outside London, has 858 names on 11 panels & 21 names on an addenda panel on the side, making 879 in total.

I've seen this before. Just out of interest, how is the size of a war memorial assessed? Is it by it's height, by the ground area it covers or by it's inherent mass of material (stone, bricks, metal, etc)?

steve2qec · 03-07-2011, 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

we had a sneck up the Haworth this afternoon, was very interesting thanks to all fer taking the time n trouble.

I was there this aft as well, I might have seen you! Where you the guy in the hat with the earring?
We found the photo of the wife's great uncle John Shearon.....Retlaw is there any chance you could post his pic and his medal card if you have it?
Steve.