Sheffield City Battalion (Sheffield Pals)

[K Seavill 10]

Dear Gleighton

 

If you get to Sheffield and do find anything on the Pals in the Sheffield Star, I would really like to know. My gt. Uncle is not recorded anywhere officially and I would like to know if he gets any local mention - Godfrey Cowlishaw. I wondered if he was killed in the early days of the Somme offensive.

 

Kseavill

[retep 68]

Have a possible Godfrey in census records if thats any use.

[JoeP 11]

There is a novel called 'A covenant with death' by John Harris, which my father-in-law introduced me too, which we're both convinced is about the Sheffield Pals - there is a lot of background stuff in the novel that almost certainly points to Sheffield as the origin of the unit that is described in the pages.

 

My grandfather was quite a lucky fellow - he was wounded on the first day of the Somme, July 1st 1916. He got shelled and woke up a PoW, and spent the rest of the war in Germany helping on a farm.

 

If anyone's interested in the land war in WW1 in general I have a reasonable reading list that I could PM or post to people.

 

Joe

[Darren 10]

Please vote for the Sheffield City Battalion when they are creating Sheffield Hall of Fame on Fargate

[Siren 10]

Originally posted by K Seavill

Dear Gleighton

 

If you get to Sheffield and do find anything on the Pals in the Sheffield Star, I would really like to know. My gt. Uncle is not recorded anywhere officially and I would like to know if he gets any local mention - Godfrey Cowlishaw. I wondered if he was killed in the early days of the Somme offensive.

 

Kseavill

 

There is a GD Cowlishaw listed inthe Sheffield City Battalion book by Ralph Gibson and Paul Oldfield. Its brief says, he was a student at Sheffield University. Could this be your uncle?

[algy 11]

Originally posted by JoePritchard

There is a novel called 'A covenant with death' by John Harris, which my father-in-law introduced me too, which we're both convinced is about the Sheffield Pals - there is a lot of background stuff in the novel that almost certainly points to Sheffield as the origin of the unit that is described in the pages.

 

My grandfather was quite a lucky fellow - he was wounded on the first day of the Somme, July 1st 1916. He got shelled and woke up a PoW, and spent the rest of the war in Germany helping on a farm.

 

If anyone's interested in the land war in WW1 in general I have a reasonable reading list that I could PM or post to people.

 

Joe

Covenant with Death is about the Sheffield pals, thinly disguised (Redmires becomes Blackmires etc). I think John Harris was a journalist in Sheffield when or just before he wrote it, but I'm not certain. Either way it's a good read.

[Cols 10]

If anyone missed the Time Flyers programme about the Sheffield Battalion it's on TV tonight (Saturday 8th). You'll need freeview though. 22:00 UK TV History channel. It's followed at 22:30 by the Derwent/Ladybower dam episode.

Well worth watching.

[K Seavill 10]

Retep,

 

Many thanks. Is that the 1901 census you are referring to? I think that is the last official record I have of Godfrey, other than my grandfather recalling his parents getting a telegram informing them of his death (telegram has long since disappeared). He was old enough to signed up at the very start of WW1.

 

Siren,

 

Thanks. I came across the G D Cowlishaw in the book you mention, but as far as I am aware Godfrey had no middle name and was working as an architect at the time he signed up to the Pals, but very many thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

Kseavill

[retep 68]

Yes i have found him in 1901 and 1891 census

[JoeP 11]

Originally posted by algy

Covenant with Death is about the Sheffield pals, thinly disguised (Redmires becomes Blackmires etc). I think John Harris was a journalist in Sheffield when or just before he wrote it, but I'm not certain. Either way it's a good read.

 

Hi Algy,

 

Thanks for this! I thought as much when reading it. My Father In Law lives in Edinburgh and when we visited he was aksing me about the environs of Sheffield and we gradually concluded that that it was Sheffield being written about.

 

I became interested in WW1 after learning about my own grandfather and following the career of Percy Topliss, the 'Monocled Mutineer', who was born not far away from where I was bought up in Nottinghamshire.

 

Joe

[Gleighton 10]

to K.Seavill. Will add him on my list to do when I go to the Local Studies in Sheffield next. My dad still lives in Sheffield so I go quite frequently. Will send info If I get any straight to your web address.

[K Seavill 10]

Gleighton,

 

Many thanks indeed for this kind offer. Any evidence of Godfrey's war record/time with the Pals appreciated. I would like the CWGC to recognise his contribution/sacrifice.

 

Does anyone reading this thread know if the majority of Sheffield men would have joined the Pals (Yorks & Lancs regiments) at the start of WW1, or would there have been other regiments recruiting in Sheffield at this time?

 

kseavill