Accrington Pals.
 

Hi, any of you out there had relatives who were in the Accrington Pals? This was my "Uncle" - Harry Kay of Water Street, Accrington. He was one of those young lads who joined up and lied about his age, desperatley wanting to fight for his country. Uncle Harry was one of the lads who came back home, although injured, and lived to a ripe old age. Lovely man he was.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Is it possable to put a list of there names on ?

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Sorry Mick, "Mission Impossible" - but anyone who thinks their grandparents etc. may have been a Pal, do please lets find out about them!

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

As regards the fatalities, If you visit the Pals website, then you will see "Greater Accrington Roll of Honour" on the left hand side of the screen; that divides Hyndburn up into it's constituent parts - Accrington, Church, Ossy, etc - and then lists the war dead in alphabetic order, with date and location of death, regiment/corps/service, home address. While it is "all-inclusive", nevertheless you can pick out the Pals from those of other regiments, etc. The Pals deaths are only a small proportion of the overall Accrington/Hyndburn toll of 1914-1919.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

My grandmothers brother was killed in the first world war, his is the first name on the war memorial in oak hill park. VARLOW ADDISON.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi Janet, quick message. Just home from work. Couldn't find your rellie on the memorial (thats not to say its not there, just I couldn't find it!!) but ... was he from Lancashire or not? cos .. I have found

Surname - ADDISON, VARLOW
Private 13668 25/09/1915 21 South Staffordshire Regiment from United Kingdom , but his name is on Panel 73 to 76 of the LOOS MEMORIAL in France?

Atarah

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi Janet, found these details now for you

Name: ADDISON, VARLOW
Initials: V
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment: South Staffordshire Regiment
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 25/09/1915
Service No: 13668
Additional information: Son of John and Margaret Addison, of 28, Biggings Farm Green, Howarth, Accrington, Lancs.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 73 to 76
Cemetery: LOOS MEMORIAL


Atarah

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Thanks Atarah, thats the one.Varlow's sister, my grandmother was called martha and she named her eldest daughter margaret after her mother and then she too named her daughter margaret. That's three generations with the same christian name, there may be more but i dont really know anything about my family tree.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

My thanks to Tealeaf for pointing out the existence of the Greater Accrington Roll of Honour on the Pals website. The site also has a list of all those known to have joined the Accrington Pals prior to 1st July 1916:
http://www.a.jackson.btinternet.co.uk/palslist.htm

New information always appreciated!

Andrew

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Cheers Andrew....you've got a cracking site there. I've sent you a private message.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

And I second that!!

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

I notice that there is another Pals medal going for sale on ebay.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi, if anyone out there is in town tomorrow and would like to go to Church Street, and take a photo - there is a lovely memorial to the Accrington Pals. Think it must just have been put there. (and .... this is specially for Mick, I DO NOT THINK you will need permission to take it!! :-)

Atarah

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi Atarah..............I was under the impression that there was to be an official unveiling of the memorial. Have I missed something? It would be nice to see the pictures,though.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

ok i will have a look weather permitting

Accrington Pals - memorial in Church Street
 

The memorial is being officially unveiled on Sunday, as part of the Hyndburn 30th anniversary celebrations, at about 4.30pm I believe.
It should be quite a good event, and representatives from the army are
expected to be there.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

It would be nice if someone could capture the event and post a few photos for those members of this forum who are either overseas, or unable to attend.

I hope it is a suitable tribute to the Accrington Pals battalion.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

here are the ones i took today

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Great photos Mick. I saw it as we passed by in a bus but haven't had time to go for a closer look yet.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Well done Mick.

A picture's worth a 1000 words.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

thanks mick, as usual your on the ball, i quite like the monument , its about time they did erect one nr the town so we can remember them//

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Thanks Mick,

I hope to get to the unveiling on Sunday. My grandfather (an Accrington lad) wasn't with the Regiment, but served along side in the field with the 13th Batt, the Kings Liverpool Regiment until loosing a leg in 1917. He went on serving with the 22nd Labour Corps until the Armistice.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Title: Pals. the 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington), East Lancashire Regiment
Author/editor: Turner. William.
Publication details: Wharnecliffe Publishing Ltd.
First Published 1987, Third Impression 1998
256p

Is a must have for genealogists. The book follows the battalion from start to end and includes many photographs and accounts written by a few of the men.

The appendices contains a list of N.C.O's and other ranks who served in the Battalion, and an indication of whether killed in action or wounded. Includes listings on memorials. A rich source of named individuals for the genealogist.

Congratulations to William Turner on a well researched publication.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

On 1st July 1916 at around 7:20 am, which would have been 88 years ago yesterday, 720 Accrington Pals went over the top on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, near Serre.

About 580 were either killed, wounded or were missing. So it is a fitting tribute that Accrington has erected a momument in their memory.

How strange that six months later, one war poet by the name of Wilfred Owen, was in the exact same location as the Accrington Pals, and made his way straight down Sackville street and then onto a Boche dugout in no mans land opposite the 'Heidenkopf' (http://www.1914-18.co.uk/woa/dug%20out%20text.htm)

His experience can be read in his famous poem 'The Sentry', a read on...
http://www.englishverse.com/poems/the_sentry

Accrington Pals Exhibition at Oswaldtwistle Mills
 

Todays Observer carries a story about a new exhibition which is now on at Oswaldtwistle Mills.

A collection of more than 40 photographs and a list of soldiers names are on display. Also can be seen recruitment posters, post-cards from soldiers to their families etc. etc. If you have any photos of The Pals you would like to donate to Mr Bill Turner for this exhibition or to be placed in Accrington Local Studies Library, please let me know.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi Atarah,
I` don’t know if I have a relative who was in the Accrington Pals, My grandfather Christopher Boardman served with the East Lanc`s in World War 2 and won the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) one below the Victoria Cross (VC) which I’m very proud of.
My Father John Boardman also served with The East Lanc`s, The Lancashire Regiment (PWV) & The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment (1-QLR) has did I.
My Father now sadly is deceased (+1994)
My Great Grandfather was called Thomas Boardman but nobody knows anything about him.
I’ve looked on the Pals roll of honour & found a Thomas Boardman who served with the Accy Pals & who lived in Accrington who was sadly killed along with alot of other brave men on 1st July 1916 but don’t know if I’m related to him.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

The on-line archive for the London Gazette covers WWI and WWII
Gazette Issue 36961 published 27 Feb 1945 records the DCM for Christopher Boardman
No. 3522635 Lance-Sergeant Christopher Boardman The East Lancashire Regiment (Blackburn)

Go here :- http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/arc...=0&Referer=WW1

Type in Christopher Boardman in search

Go to popup window and you may need to track back to previous pages.
Best if you have the latest Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6 for the pdf file

Hope that helps

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Thank you Weary Tourist,
Yes thats my Grandfather, my dad originaly lived in Blackburn, before moving to Ossy when he married my mother.
I have my grandfathers Service book whitch has the same Service Number 3522635.
I did`nt know him very well when I was younger, he moved down South, He died in the early 90s in London.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

If you want to find out about Thomas Boardman, then start by getting Christopher's marriage certificate, or birth certificate (£7) that way you are starting from a known point. http://www.1837online.com/Trace2web/

Thereafter you may be able to find Thomas on 1901 Census here (the site can be busy) http://www.censushelpdesk.co.uk/ which may tie in with the address on the Absent Voters entry on Accy Pals site.

If you know date of death then there may be a Will or Letters of Administration.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Thanks again Weary Tourist,
I`ve had a look but like you said, it`s a busy site.
Will try again, Thanks :)

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Interested in anyone who has details about this individual....

T/Lieut Thomas William Rawcliffe (Military Cross) a.k.a. Tom
Stokes Mortar 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington) East Lancashire Regiment

Served with Batallion until 1917 then as a Major went to USA as an instructor/advisor with US army. In 1919 returned to the family cotton manufacturing firm in Gt Harwood/Clayton-le-Moors. Father was JH Rawcliffe JP.

It would appear that he does not feature on 1901 Census, however I have a lot of information about Rawcliffe's in Hyndburn/Huncoat/Burnley area

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Not really of help to you, Weary Tourist, but Tom Rawcliffe's service record is one that I haven't been able to access at the National Archives (PRO, as was). Because of his post-WW1 service, it's retained by the MOD. The North West Sound Archive at Clitheroe has recordings of Tom being interviewed by Mr William Turner - I believe he talks about his family on tape BT541.

Andrew

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Thanks AJ.

You are probably fed up with people telling you that you have a great site, but I don't care. You have a great site, it's been very useful to me. I discovered from your site that my grandfather was in RAF in WWI. I suspect he maintained the engines, as his civilian occupation was to look after the textile machinery.

On a different matter, printed material is somewhat difficult to update after it has been published, whereas material on the web can keep growing. However, material on the web can eventually, disappear forever, and so never end up in an archive, or the British Library etc..

I wonder if you had a long term view as to what might happen to your valuable material that you have so lovingly assembled.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Always nice to hear that the site is appreciated. One of my grandfathers too was an RFC/RAF mechanic in WW1 (Thomas Jackson in the AVL).

Point taken about the long term future of the site. I hope to have a few decades yet to look after it, but I will make sure that it goes into safe hands!

Andrew

Accringtons tribute to The Accrington Pals.
 

Well, I have been hanging on, wondering if anyone was going to show any photos from the procession on Sunday. No-one has yet, so here goes. All these photographs I am showing are thanks to Owd Bert, whose photography skills are far greater than mine :)

The Pals, whose numbers were decimated during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, have never had a permanent memorial in their town. A memorial stone was officially unveiled on Sunday 4th July, 2004 in Church Street gardens in the town centre. The stone honours not just the fallen Pals, but also the Queens's Lancashire Regiment, who were granted the Freedom of the Borough in 2002.

There are also plans in the pipeline to develop the surrounding area, repave and install new gardens.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Nice photos Atarah, Thanks to Owd Bert (he's a gud 'un).

I'm quite concerned about the vulnerability of siting of the monument. I can visualise vandals sitting less than a metre away from it. I hope nobody is daft enough to do it any damage as it remains a true memory to all those Accrington Pals, who fought and some who never made it home.

Glad you posted them. Thanks

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Grateful thanks to Owd Bert for taking these, and to Atarah for sharing these photos with everyone on the forum.

Nice to see some recognition at last to the Accrington Pals, and those who gave their lives.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Excellent job Atarah, Thanks to Owd Bert for the photos. It's good to know that people still care.....

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Thanks for sharing the photos. We couldn't be there on the day so it's good to see these.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

yes atarah thank owd bert for the photos, tell him from me I MISS HIM, thanks once again ,

Tribute to The Accrington Pals (near Albert, France).
 

Pictures taken 12/08/04.
Serre Village nr Albert, North France.
Three Pics of the memorial & one of the Trench Remains

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

A few more....
1. Shell Blast damage
2. Railway Hallow Cemetery (Pals)
3. Trench Remains / shell damage
4. Cemetery Sighns (Pals)
5. Shefield Memorial
6. Tribute To Chorley Pals
7. Tribute To Chorley Pals

Re: Tribute to The Accrington Pals (near Albert, France).
 

The memorials are built of NORIS.
For some of us this is not really "history", in the sense that we are detached from it. We knew our grandfathers. Probably, like mine, they didn't talk much about the war. But they went thro' that **** on the Western Front. We should never forget, nor should we let others forget what they did. Unfortunately, the values they fought for, their love of country, their sense of duty and honor are becoming alien to us. Every man that went over the top on July 1, 1916 was a volunteer, every one a hero. Maybe a little corney sounding, but, as Fitzgerald pointed out in "Tender is the Night" - I will paraphrse liberally - we don't have the balls to do what they did.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi!
Varlow Addison was my father's first cousin. I have a newspaper cutting about him. My father was John Addison, born 21st June 1913. He was the youngest of five, the others being Joseph, James, Benjamin and Mary. Their father was James Addison, who married Margaret Ellen Birtwell. James, my grandfather, worked at Accrington railway station. The family belonged to St. Andrew's Church, Accrington. My Dad's name is on the scholarship board there. Varlow's father must have been my Grandad's brother. Their father (my Great-Grandfather) was also John Addison. He was a miner and was killed in the Morley Main Pit Disaster. He came from Clayton-le-Moors but had gone to Morley (near Leeds) to look for work.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Is this the newspaper cutting.

Retlaw

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Must admit, I have never seen this memorial :

Plan to improve Accrington Pals memorial (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Will make an effort next time I am in town. :o

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

is this the one theyre talking about ..

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Yes.
Retlaw.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Ah yes Shill, can see the problem now .. went to look today myself, suppose it is difficult to surmount that edging wall . think good cause Cllr. Pritchard, carry on :

Attachment 16083

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi Janet, we are our great Uncle Varlow Addison i

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi Janet, I must get in touch, can you write to me, My family are also addisons, my grand mother was the sister of Varlow Addison... I have some good news regarding our family tree and I am in touch with Grace Wilkinson in Australia ...

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hi Janet, we are related, My grand mother, Elizather Trippear was the sister of Varlow... we would love to learn as much as you know about the Addisson family, we do not have any photos and I am tracing the family tree back to the Harrops in Derbyship
I am currently living in London, but ... come home a lot... do you have alot of information about our family?

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

amazing - I have been looking for this photo for years, thank you so much. this article brought tears to my eyes... wow.. very moving

Our family also lost John Addison 13244 7t bat aged 31 5th july 1916

private JT addison 12200 10th March 1915 2nd bat

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Aunt Matha married John Edmonson, they are the grand parents of cousin maxine, mother Eileen Edmondson

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Is this him.

Can't find ny trace of Addison J.T. 12200 South Staffs living in Greater Accrington.
Retlaw

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Just been reading some of the old threads.
There was a Thomas Boardman who served in the Acc Pals who survived, he lived in Union St Acc.
Retlaw.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Margaret Ellen Birtwell who married James Addison and had 5 children was my Great grandads sister .... this is gonna get much more interesting ;) .... her brother was James Grimshaw Birtwell who is on Accrington Memorial.

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

James Grimshaw Birtwell.
Gunner 12170. R.F.A.
26 Russia St, Accrington.
D.O.Wounds 28-Mch-1917.
Buried in Rollincourt Cemetery.
Accrington War Memorial. Panel 1 column 2

Re: Accrington Pals.
 

Hey Retlaw thankyou so much ;) unfortunately i dont get to check my email that often due to a very busy schedule .... i Have never seen a picture of James before as most of our family pics etc amazingly disappeared x Thankyou x