Leeds Pals

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Wed 10 Oct, 2012 10:56 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Lyndoch wrote: Hello Steve Thanks for your efforts re memorial to Leeds Pals.I was most incensed to think that there is no permanent memorial for Leeds in France,, I don't suppose it will ever happen now.. even Chorley ( Lancs) has a memorial.Lyndoch Adelaide South Australia While visiting the Somme a couple of years ago, actually to trace two war graves for a friend, we happened to pull up by chance at the end of a small lane near Serre - scene of one of the worst battles for the Leeds Pals with heavy losses. My own Dad was badly wounded thereabouts, but recovered well enough to lead a full but inconvenienced life. My friend got out of the car and returned soon to say "there's something here you ought to see."It was just a small plaque on a farm wall in appreciation by the locals of what our lads had done in those dark days. The Leeds Pals were mentioned and I believe the Sheffield Pals and two or three other units. I had the most haunting but rewarding feeling that I was close to where Dad had actually been wounded - something I never expected to happen, and I felt that I'd been "specially drawn there" by helping my friend with his quest. I believe that such things do happen !! A very poignant story Blakey.....of course,a few lines on here could never do full justice to the many thousands who lost their lives that day or even wounded(some terribly no doubt).....the pals did their bit...I hope you found some solace that particular day.I'm sure it was quite emotional as these things tend to be.God rest 'em all.

Post by **cnosni** » Thu 11 Oct, 2012 1:45 am

BLAKEY wrote: Lyndoch wrote: Hello Steve Thanks for your efforts re memorial to Leeds Pals.I was most incensed to think that there is no permanent memorial for Leeds in France,, I don't suppose it will ever happen now.. even Chorley ( Lancs) has a memorial.Lyndoch Adelaide South Australia While visiting the Somme a couple of years ago, actually to trace two war graves for a friend, we happened to pull up by chance at the end of a small lane near Serre - scene of one of the worst battles for the Leeds Pals with heavy losses. My own Dad was badly wounded thereabouts, but recovered well enough to lead a full but inconvenienced life. My friend got out of the car and returned soon to say "there's something here you ought to see."It was just a small plaque on a farm wall in appreciation by the locals of what our lads had done in those dark days. The Leeds Pals were mentioned and I believe the Sheffield Pals and two or three other units. I had the most haunting but rewarding feeling that I was close to where Dad had actually been wounded - something I never expected to happen, and I felt that I'd been "specially drawn there" by helping my friend with his quest. I believe that such things do happen !! Here is the plaque you mentionhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4715554210 ... 00763There is also a memorial in Bus les Artois,where the 1st Leeds Pals were billited the night beforehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/sets/72157624190695819/and here is the place where they crawled out into no mans land prior to zero hourhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4714565435 ... 000763Here are the sets of pictures from our 2010 and 2012 trips to the area and also Normandyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/collection ... 602324494/

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Thu 11 Oct, 2012 1:55 am

cnosni wrote: BLAKEY wrote: Lyndoch wrote: Hello Steve Thanks for your efforts re memorial to Leeds Pals.I was most incensed to think that there is no permanent memorial for Leeds in France,, I don't suppose it will ever happen now.. even Chorley ( Lancs) has a memorial.Lyndoch Adelaide South Australia While visiting the Somme a couple of years ago, actually to trace two war graves for a friend, we happened to pull up by chance at the end of a small lane near Serre - scene of one of the worst battles for the Leeds Pals with heavy losses. My own Dad was badly wounded thereabouts, but recovered well enough to lead a full but inconvenienced life. My friend got out of the car and returned soon to say "there's something here you ought to see."It was just a small plaque on a farm wall in appreciation by the locals of what our lads had done in those dark days. The Leeds Pals were mentioned and I believe the Sheffield Pals and two or three other units. I had the most haunting but rewarding feeling that I was close to where Dad had actually been wounded - something I never expected to happen, and I felt that I'd been "specially drawn there" by helping my friend with his quest. I believe that such things do happen !! Here is the plaque you mentionhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4715554210 ... 00763There is also a memorial in Bus les Artois,where the 1st Leeds Pals were billited the night beforehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/sets/72157624190695819/and here is the place where they crawled out into no mans land prior to zero hourhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4714565435 ... 000763Here are the sets of pictures from our 2010 and 2012 trips to the area and also Normandyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/collection ... 602324494/ That's a great archive cnosni......very well put together.It's ironic that small as the metal plaque may be,what would be the chances of it's survival on a wall in this country ? Still,not to detract from the heroic and unselfish achievements of all the comrades on the day......it seems a travesty that a more fitting memorial isn't available to commemorate the events of that and subsequent days.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 11 Oct, 2012 9:44 am

Thank you so much cnosni for those wonderful compilations - I wish I'd started years ago and done something similar. I have no relatives now, and in my younger days there was much unsavourary and harmful infighting in the Family which has left me uncomfortable for the rest of my days, as my heroic Dad was unjustly maligned by "the other side."Anyhow I have visited the area more than once which is most humbling. On my visit with my friend we stayed three nights in Arras at the Hotel Moderne and visited Vis -en- Artois and Colincamps cemeteries, successfully tracing the graves of his two fallen uncles. I have been many times with my Belgian friends to the Menin Gate 8.00pm ceremony which always moves me greatly.In a sad reflection of today's society I have to report my disgust when we visited Tyne Cot cemetery last year, A coachload of English students/teenagers, almost certainly from this area, who were obviously disinterested and bored, were unashamedly swarming all over the large central memorial cross and "acting the goat." I was sorely tempted to sort them out and order them down, but any further noisy disrespect in the place would have been unforgiveable - but what on EARTH were the teachers doing to allow it ??

Si · Post by Si » Thu 11 Oct, 2012 10:50 am

Unfortunately this is the way of the world these days, Blakey.Nothing must get in the way of "havin' a laff."Just read an interesting autobiography called "The Reluctant Tommy" by Ronald Skirth. His writings, based on the horrific experiences he suffered at Passchendaele and Asiago, have a very modern mind-set to them. His return home at the end of the war could have been written by a soldier returning from Afghanistan today. There is a small link to this area in the book. He had a pal who was from Otley.

Post by **cnosni** » Thu 11 Oct, 2012 11:55 am

somme1916 wrote: cnosni wrote: BLAKEY wrote: Lyndoch wrote: Hello Steve Thanks for your efforts re memorial to Leeds Pals.I was most incensed to think that there is no permanent memorial for Leeds in France,, I don't suppose it will ever happen now.. even Chorley ( Lancs) has a memorial.Lyndoch Adelaide South Australia While visiting the Somme a couple of years ago, actually to trace two war graves for a friend, we happened to pull up by chance at the end of a small lane near Serre - scene of one of the worst battles for the Leeds Pals with heavy losses. My own Dad was badly wounded thereabouts, but recovered well enough to lead a full but inconvenienced life. My friend got out of the car and returned soon to say "there's something here you ought to see."It was just a small plaque on a farm wall in appreciation by the locals of what our lads had done in those dark days. The Leeds Pals were mentioned and I believe the Sheffield Pals and two or three other units. I had the most haunting but rewarding feeling that I was close to where Dad had actually been wounded - something I never expected to happen, and I felt that I'd been "specially drawn there" by helping my friend with his quest. I believe that such things do happen !! Here is the plaque you mentionhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4715554210 ... 00763There is also a memorial in Bus les Artois,where the 1st Leeds Pals were billited the night beforehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/sets/72157624190695819/and here is the place where they crawled out into no mans land prior to zero hourhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4714565435 ... 000763Here are the sets of pictures from our 2010 and 2012 trips to the area and also Normandyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/collection ... 602324494/ That's a great archive cnosni......very well put together.It's ironic that small as the metal plaque may be,what would be the chances of it's survival on a wall in this country ? Still,not to detract from the heroic and unselfish achievements of all the comrades on the day......it seems a travesty that a more fitting memorial isn't available to commemorate the events of that and subsequent days. Well i have raised this lack of a suitable monument on SL before,and asked if anyone would like to try and get to gether and have a go at the powers that beto get something more fitting.I did conract a writer on the Evening Post who had done an article on the Leeds Pals,and he said he would put me in touch with the chap who is in charge of the Leeds Pals association,but despite two promises from the YEP chap i have heard nothing.If there should be anything more substantal then it should be close to Serre Road Cemetery No3,where the Pals crawled out of the front line trench to lay in waiting of zero hour in no mans land.I know times are hard,but one would have thought that a combination of local large businesses connected to Leeds (Asda),the council and private donations could somehow cobble together enough funds for a more appropriate in situe memorial,rather than a plaque on the side of a dilapidated farm outbuilding,something which does not even come close to the suffering and sacrifice.There are more fitting and substantial memorials to teh Sheffield and Accrington Pals on the site,why not Leeds?Heres one for Si,they (the Leeds Pals) were about 400 yards from where the 2nd Dukes went into action in the area of the Heidenkopf/Quadrilateral Redoubt.

Si · Post by Si » Thu 11 Oct, 2012 12:04 pm

cnosni wrote: Heres one for Si, they (the Leeds Pals) were about 400 yards from where the 2nd Dukes went into action in the area of the Heidenkopf/Quadrilateral Redoubt. Cheers Chris.

Caron · Post by **Caron** » Thu 11 Oct, 2012 8:51 pm

My Grt Uncle was with the West Yorkshire Regiment. His grave is in Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval. On the Thiepval Visitors Centre website, visitors are asked to make sure that their cars are locked and valuables are not left inside as there have been a lot of break-ins to vehicles parked there. How low is that! Disgusting people.

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Thu 11 Oct, 2012 9:33 pm

[quotenick="cnosni"] somme1916 wrote: cnosni wrote: BLAKEY wrote: Lyndoch wrote: Hello Steve Thanks for your efforts re memorial to Leeds Pals.I was most incensed to think that there is no permanent memorial for Leeds in France,, I don't suppose it will ever happen now.. even Chorley ( Lancs) has a memorial.Lyndoch Adelaide South Australia Here is the plaque you mentionhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4715554210 ... 00763There is also a memorial in Bus les Artois,where the 1st Leeds Pals were billited the night beforehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/sets/72157624190695819/and here is the place where they crawled out into no mans land prior to zero hourhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/4714565435 ... 000763Here are the sets of pictures from our 2010 and 2012 trips to the area and also Normandyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cnosni/collection ... 602324494/ That's a great archive cnosni......very well put together.It's ironic that small as the metal plaque may be,what would be the chances of it's survival on a wall in this country ? Still,not to detract from the heroic and unselfish achievements of all the comrades on the day......it seems a travesty that a more fitting memorial isn't available to commemorate the events of that and subsequent days. Well i have raised this lack of a suitable monument on SL before,and asked if anyone would like to try and get to gether and have a go at the powers that beto get something more fitting.If there should be anything more substantal then it should be close to Serre Road Cemetery No3,where the Pals crawled out of the front line trench to lay in waiting of zero hour in no mans land.I know times are hard,but one would have thought that a combination of local large businesses connected to Leeds (Asda),the council and private donations could somehow cobble together enough funds for a more appropriate in situe memorial,rather than a plaque on the side of a dilapidated farm outbuilding,something which does not even come close to the suffering and sacrifice.There are more fitting and substantial memorials to teh Sheffield and Accrington Pals on the site,why not Leeds? A very salient point cnosni......the pals deserve a better commemoration than that.Of course times are pretty tough,not much spare cash about.You could have my £20 worth anytime however......to quote the good book "Greater love hath no man than this,that a man lay down his life for his friends".I really hope something can be done about this.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sat 10 Nov, 2012 8:11 pm

The 'Leeds Past' feature on page 14 of the YEP today (Nov 10 2012) has a section 'Tragic story of the Leeds Pals'. It also has a photo (taken in September 1914) of a Leeds Pals recruiting car (it looks like a tramcar to me) with many people (most in uniform) and a photo taken in 1973 of some of then still surviving Leeds Pals.On page 10 to 11 there is another poignant feature, about some still living survivors from the Second World War to Basra in 2006. On page 21 there is the annual 'Special Remembrance' notices in the 'In Memoriam' section. The number of notices is (not unexpectedly) getting shorter each year now. It's always very sad reading.