Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
"Pals" departing from Preston railway station, August 1914. The pals battalions of World War I were specially constituted battalions of the British Army comprising men who enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and colleagues, rather than being arbitrarily allocated to battalions.
The recruitment of pals battalions was confined to the 69 line infantry regiments of the British Army. The Guards Regiments [2] and regiments formed only from Territorial Force battalions [3] [a] did not form any pals battalions. Amongst the line infantry regiments, there was considerable variation in the number of battalions recruited ...
The battalion was to take part in an assault against the German lines in late afternoon, but by this time, it was apparent that the initial assault had been a catastrophic failure, which brought about a cancellation of further attacks. Thus, the Preston Pals escaped the heavy losses that were suffered by many other Pals battalions that day.
The 12th (Reserve) Battalion, East Lancashire Regimen, was formed on 14 May 1915 at Chadderton Camp, Oldham, from the depot companies of 11th Battalion. [ 2 ] [ 8 ] This was a local reserve battalion, that is, a reserve battalion for the locally raised (pals) battalion intended to provide trained reinforcements for its parent unit. [ 9 ]
The battalion was extricated after dark and was rested during 38th (W) Division's setpiece attack next day. On 30 August 10th SWB attacked at 03.30 and covered over 3,000 yards (2,700 m) to capture Lesbœufs. That night the battalion received a draft of six officers and 120 ORs, but these hardly made up for the losses so far. [10] [12] [52] [53 ...
They consisted of men volunteering for Kitchener's New Armies and the battalions became, respectively, the 14th, 15th and 16th (Service) battalions of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. A further battalion, 17th, was formed in June 1915 as a reserve battalion, and was reorganised in the Training Reserve in September 1916 as 92nd Training Reserve ...
West Ham Pals; 15th (Service) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (1st Leeds) 16th (Service) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (1st Bradford)
The concept of a 'battalion of pals' serving together originated with the 'Stockbrokers Battalion' of the Royal Fusiliers raised in the City of London and was taken up enthusiastically as the 'Pals battalions'. These local and pals battalions formed Kitchener's Fifth New Army, or 'K5', authorised on 10 December 1914. [2] [3]