Leeds Pals

Post by **cnosni** » Sun 20 Jun, 2010 2:13 pm

buffaloskinner wrote: We have a friend whose grandfather was in the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and who according to records died 1st July 1916 at Serre. He is buried at Euston Road and she is going there this year to visit the cemetery.I was able to find the following information about the cemetery for her, which may be of interest to others on here.Colincamps and "Euston", a road junction a little east of the village, were within the Allied lines before the Somme offensive of July 1916. The cemetery was started as a front line burial ground during and after the unsuccessful attack on Serre on 1 July, but after the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917 it was scarcely used. It was briefly in German hands towards the end of March 1918, when it marked the limit of the German advance, but the line was held and pushed forward by the New Zealand Division allowing the cemetery to be used again for burials in April and May 1918. The cemetery is particularly associated with three dates and engagements; the attack on Serre on 1 July 1916; the capture of Beaumont- Hamel on 13 November 1916; and the German attack on the 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade trenches before Colincamps on 5 April 1918. The whole of Plot I, except five graves in the last row, represents the original cemetery of 501 graves. After the Armistice, more than 750 graves were brought in from small cemeteries in the neighbouring communes and the battlefields. The cemetery now contains 1,293 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 170 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 32 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to two soldiers whose graves in nearby small cemeteries were destroyed in later battles. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.No. of Identified Casualties: 1123The King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry) 12th (Service) Battalion (Miners)(Pioneers)Formed in Leeds on 5 September 1914 by the West Yorkshire Coalowners Association. Moved to Farnley Park (Otley).May 1915 : moved to Burton Leonard (Ripon) and attached as Pioneer Battalion to 31st Division. Moved to Fovant in October 1915.December 1915 : moved to Egypt. Went on to France in March 1916.Between 1 July and 30 November 1917, attached to Fifth Army Troops for work on light railways.There is more about the 12th Battalion KOYLI herehttp://www.pals.org.uk/koyli/index.htm Went to Euston Road in April,some pics herehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/sets/72157624190810609/

Armley Lass 47 · Post by **Armley Lass 47** » Sun 20 Jun, 2010 2:40 pm

HiMy Great Uncle Albert died on the Somme in 1916 but as yet I dont know which regiment he was in. He was only 17 and had lied about his age as he didnt want to be without his two older brothers one of which was my Grandfather. I have looked for an Albert Fowler before but there were a few killed on the Somme so dont know how to prove which one it was, any ideas???I did know his address was in Burley.

Keg · Post by **Keg** » Sun 20 Jun, 2010 7:14 pm

Armley Lass, try the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They are based in Maidenhead. They might need a bit of detail but are as good a start as any.

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Sun 20 Jun, 2010 8:27 pm

cnosni wrote: Went to Euston Road in April,some pics herehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/sets/72157624190810609/ Cnosni, thanks for that link to your Euston Road pics, I have emailed the link to her

Post by **cnosni** » Sun 20 Jun, 2010 8:36 pm

Armley Lass 47 wrote: HiMy Great Uncle Albert died on the Somme in 1916 but as yet I dont know which regiment he was in. He was only 17 and had lied about his age as he didnt want to be without his two older brothers one of which was my Grandfather. I have looked for an Albert Fowler before but there were a few killed on the Somme so dont know how to prove which one it was, any ideas???I did know his address was in Burley. Hi Armley Lass,can you give me datails such as place of birth,area where he lived and potential next of kins?

Post by **cnosni** » Sun 20 Jun, 2010 9:09 pm

As promised,link to Memorial Plaque for Leeds Palshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4715554210/#

Post by **cnosni** » Wed 23 Jun, 2010 10:07 pm

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Thu 24 Jun, 2010 10:48 am

cnosni wrote: As promised,link to Memorial Plaque for Leeds Palshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4715554210/# Poor devils.

Post by **cnosni** » Thu 24 Jun, 2010 2:02 pm

Trojan wrote: cnosni wrote: As promised,link to Memorial Plaque for Leeds Palshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4715554210/# Poor devils. Indeed,and for all their sacrifice and blood all they get is a piece of slate on an old farm out building,obscured by bushes.We only stumbled upon it,didnt know it was there.It would be nice to have something just around where they came over the top,about 300 yds up the track near Serre Road Cemetery number 3.Will post on Flickr (cant get anything on here now)the Google image of the are with some of the trenches i transposed from an old trench map,it helped get a fell and a grip for whats around when you are on the ground.Its all surprisingly compact,from the Copses near Serre to Hawthorne Ridge/Jacobs Ladder at Beaumont Hamel

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Thu 24 Jun, 2010 4:32 pm

cnosni wrote: Trojan wrote: cnosni wrote: As promised,link to Memorial Plaque for Leeds Palshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4715554210/# Poor devils. Indeed,and for all their sacrifice and blood all they get is a piece of slate on an old farm out building,obscured by bushes.We only stumbled upon it,didnt know it was there.It would be nice to have something just around where they came over the top,about 300 yds up the track near Serre Road Cemetery number 3.Will post on Flickr (cant get anything on here now)the Google image of the are with some of the trenches i transposed from an old trench map,it helped get a fell and a grip for whats around when you are on the ground.Its all surprisingly compact,from the Copses near Serre to Hawthorne Ridge/Jacobs Ladder at Beaumont Hamel I'm possibly going to northern France this autumn, I wouldn't mind seeing it. I've seen the Menin Gate and the cemeteries around Ypres, plus the Belgian museum at Diksmuide. It's all very moving. But the Pals Battalions must be the worst - whole streets of men wiped out or maimed for life. Oh dear have to stop.