Sheffield City Battalion (Sheffield Pals)

[TheRedWizard 10]

Fantastic - I'm going to order my copy now!

[hector 10]

My copy is ordered - can't wait to see it.

Thanks to everyone who registered with Pen and Sword and helped to persuade them to reprint the book.

[pfn1 10]

Only just come onto this thread. really interesting info and links. Its good to see local history and heritage is still important for many people.

 

My Uncle, Private Willie Morton from Sheffield joined the 12th Battalion. He was one of the lucky ones and came back alive and in one piece. After he died we had some of his soldiers papers, his diary etc, most of which we eventually passed onto the 12th Batt Yorks and Lancs museum which I think was at Weston Park, but has now moved to nearer Rotherham. The collection is always viewable, all you need to do is telephone beforehand to ask about specific items and arrange an appointment, so they can be got out ready.

 

His diary covered the training period here at Redmires, down south and abroad. But he stopped writing during the times they were at the frontline in the big offensive, other than to occasionally write, 'nothing much happened today' which with hindsight are some awfully understated few words, but which also say an awful lot. I still have his soldiers bible in which he write down a few flowery words as spoken to them by one of the Generals before all the carnage.

 

I have a letter of his in which he says that after the attack on Serre, the Battalion regrouped in a nearby orchard and they were all shocked at how few they were.

 

Its great that a reprint of the book is finally being done. A while back I managed to obtain a copy of the earlier version of the book for around £20, which sounds like it is in a larger format than the proposed reprint. It was from a second hand dealer who specialises in military books. He is John Marrin his website is http://www.johnmarrin.com There are plenty of other similar dealers out there but I guess you need some luck too when searching.

 

They should never be forgotten. Its just a real bad shame that it wasnt the war to end all wars after all.

 

Regards to all

Paul Norton

[Teabag 10]

Visited Serre a number of times. It is slightly surreal to wander through a small French village and then see the Sheffield wheatsheaf crest on a white plinth.

Sheffield Memorial Park is always so well kept by the WGC

 

It is a fascinating visit

 

If you are unfamiliar with the overall story of the pals battalions then could I recommend a book:

 

Martin Middlebrook: First Day of the Somme....great populist account

[Tuppie 10]

Aliscruton.

 

I'm currently trying to find out about my Great Grandfather Arthur Robert Brightman. It's believed that he joined the Sheffield Pals (he was a coal miner) but was tragically killed when going to the coal mine to say goodbye to his colleagues (a coal truck broke loose & killed him) This happened around March 1916. He was buried at Tinsley Park cemetry. Unfortunately I can find nothing to support this story........

 

Aurthur Robert BRIGHTMAN aged 34 Miner of 4 Cooper Place Darnall was buried at Tinsley Park 3rd April 1916.Grave # W35c

Also in the same grave is Arthur BRIGHTMAN aged 15m son of Betsy Ann of 4 Cooper Place Darnall buried 15 Jan 1917.

With the date you should be able to find a reference to the accident in the newspapers, there would most likely be an inquest.

 

Tuppie

[redrobbo 10]

The Lord Mayor, Cllr Jackie Drayton, is paying a visit to France, as it is the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, and I believe she is going to visit Serre.

 

I understand there are a number of houses in or near Serre, built by public subscription raised by the good folk of Sheffield at the end of World War I, in memory of the Pals. Does anybody have any knowledge or details about this?

[newfella 10]

You can find service details of WW1 service people on the national archives sight, this includes individual service records (they are so old as to be outside the Privacy Act constraints).

 

If you find details of the people you are interested the NA will supply copies, beware though it can be quite confronting to find very stark records of fallen family members.

 

Unfortunatly there is a lot missing from this period as the storage building was hit in the blitz during round 2.

[Plain Talker 11]

The Lord Mayor, Cllr Jackie Drayton, is paying a visit to France, as it is the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, and I believe she is going to visit Serre.

 

I understand there are a number of houses in or near Serre, built by public subscription raised by the good folk of Sheffield at the end of World War I, in memory of the Pals. Does anybody have any knowledge or details about this?

 

 

I think it'll be the 90th anniversary, Red...

 

the housing thing was mentioned in another thread, about asylum seekers and refugees.

 

I have a stunning photograph of my Grandfather, in uniform, with his regiment in WW1.

 

It's very touching to see all those young men who most likely would not have made it back, in one piece, if they made it back at all.

 

My Grandpa had his knee shot away by a sniper. He was not even out of his teens, haviing lied about his age to join up. (As so many did) He'd have been about 16/ 17 yrs old when he joined up.

PT

[MysTique 10]

I was talking to my step-dad about the Sheffield Pals, his dad and my grandad were both in the Battalion and luckily survived.

 

After bombarding him with questions he disappeared for a while and came back with a large briefcase filled with original documents, newspapers, books and a big photo album with many, many photographs of his dad and the Battalion, mainly at Redmires. I found it fascinating to go through and, like PT said, very moving to think that the majority of them never came back.

 

With only a few more days to go before the 90th Anniversary it's been interesting to see some of the news articles on the BBC showing some of the areas as they are today.

[Plain Talker 11]

I found my grandpa's discharge papers, a few days ago.

 

He gave his birthdate as 1899, instead of 1900, which was the real year he was born. He signed on, on the 16th October 1916, so he'd have just missed the sommme, but not the battles after.

 

His papers state that he saw active service overseas. He was just turned 16 when he enlisted. It just doesn't bear thinking about. All those young men, who were just cannon fodder, really. What a sacrifice

 

My grandpa was demobbed on the 23rd October 1919, almost a whole year after the armistice was signed.

 

PT

[aliscruton 10]

Aliscruton.

 

 

 

Aurthur Robert BRIGHTMAN aged 34 Miner of 4 Cooper Place Darnall was buried at Tinsley Park 3rd April 1916.Grave # W35c

Also in the same grave is Arthur BRIGHTMAN aged 15m son of Betsy Ann of 4 Cooper Place Darnall buried 15 Jan 1917.

With the date you should be able to find a reference to the accident in the newspapers, there would most likely be an inquest.

 

Tuppie

 

Hi Tuppie,

 

My mum's had a look in the archives in the City library but to date hasn't found anything. His death certificate states the he died of cardiac failure following 8 days of pneumonia. I'll have to come and do some research myself one day 'Little Arthur' as he's known to my mum, died of influenza. Betsy Ann lived on until 1970!

[Teabag 10]

Short excerpt here in todays Guardian:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,,1799319,00.html

 

Also a good site can be found at:

 

http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_serre_sheffield.htm