Leeds Pals

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sat 10 Nov, 2012 8:28 pm

My Dad was a survivor, badly injured, of the Somme carnage which quickly wiped out most of "The Pals." They were the 15th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment and Dad's number was 15/1569.He was in hospital for nearly a year at Stokesay Court in Shropshire and carried inconvenient and often painful handicaps for the rest of his life, although he worked beyond his 65th birthday. I like to think that his last defiant gesture to the Kaiser and successors was to manage to pass away quietly in hospital on November 11th 1961. RIP "Bert."

BigSteveF · Post by **BigSteveF** » Sat 10 Nov, 2012 10:23 pm

The camp where the Pals training base was, is I believe just outside of Grassington on the road to Appletreewick, plenty of evidence of the old camp remaining, maybe some member visiting for the Dickensian Christmas festival could take a camera and do some snooping, would be good to see anything they turned up.

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Sat 10 Nov, 2012 10:26 pm

BLAKEY wrote: My Dad was a survivor, badly injured, of the Somme carnage which quickly wiped out most of "The Pals." They were the 15th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment and Dad's number was 15/1569.He was in hospital for nearly a year at Stokesay Court in Shropshire and carried inconvenient and often painful handicaps for the rest of his life, although he worked beyond his 65th birthday. I like to think that his last defiant gesture to the Kaiser and successors was to manage to pass away quietly in hospital on November 11th 1962. RIP "Bert." Thanks for that Blakey......very poignant indeed.Hope you are ok with it at this very moving time.Just watching "The Somme" on More 4...That tells you a story.The youth of today haven't a clue about the sacrifices by our forefathers....God bless 'em all.

Si · Post by Si » Sat 10 Nov, 2012 10:50 pm

BLAKEY wrote: My Dad was a survivor, badly injured, of the Somme carnage which quickly wiped out most of "The Pals." They were the 15th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment and Dad's number was 15/1569. RIP "Bert." I've found this picture of the Leeds Pals cap badge. Would they have worn, for example, the West Yorks cap badge (Hanover Horse) or this version?Anyone know?

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sun 11 Nov, 2012 12:53 am

BigSteveF wrote: The camp where the Pals training base was, is I believe just outside of Grassington on the road to Appletreewick, plenty of evidence of the old camp remaining, maybe some member visiting for the Dickensian Christmas festival could take a camera and do some snooping, would be good to see anything they turned up. Not quite BigSteveF - the Leeds Pals training camp is at Colsterdale just seven miles from Masham up a narrow lane marked "Breary Banks." The site of the camp is still visible, just, and until fairly recently the concrete bases of the huts could still be seen - the original accommodation being in tents. There is a grand little monument there where services are held fairly often. I've been to a good few, but by far the most moving was fairly recently when young pupils from Kell Bank School near Healey were there with a mysterious large hamper. At a certain point in the service the lid was opened and one by one some beautiful white doves emerged and flew off gracefully to freedom. "Not a dry eye in the house" as the saying goes - a wonderful moment.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sun 11 Nov, 2012 4:54 pm

Si wrote: BLAKEY wrote: My Dad was a survivor, badly injured, of the Somme carnage which quickly wiped out most of "The Pals." They were the 15th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment and Dad's number was 15/1569. RIP "Bert." I've found this picture of the Leeds Pals cap badge. Would they have worn, for example, the West Yorks cap badge (Hanover Horse) or this version?Anyone know? Many thanks for that Si - the pictures which I have of Dad show him wearing the badge that you have posted above

Si · Post by Si » Sun 11 Nov, 2012 9:02 pm

Evening, Blakey.From Doyle and Foster's British Army Cap Badges of the First World War:"15th and 17th (Service) Battalions, The Princess of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) (1st and 2nd Leeds.)Raised by the Lord Mayor of Leeds in September and December 1914 respectively, these two battalions of the 'Leeds Pals' wore the arms of the city as a cap badge, in brass (officers' silver versions are known)."

Post by **cnosni** » Sun 11 Nov, 2012 10:01 pm

My grandad was in the 2nd Leeds Pals/ 17th West Yorkshires.I have an original Leeds Pals cap badge and what i believe to be an original shoulder badge,which says Leeds West Yorks.

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Mon 12 Nov, 2012 12:17 am

Leodian wrote: 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. When i was taxi-ing in and around Pudsey I often picked up a chap who I think ran a website on the internet relating to the Leeds Pals.His father was in the battalion and survived the war.I can remember him saying his father was 90yrs old The chaps name was Mr. Wood and at that time,about 10 -12yrs ago now, owned a jewellers and watch repair business in Lowtown Pudsey. He lived in Occupation lane. If he could be contacted I'm sure he would help re the Leeds Pals Memorial.

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Mon 12 Nov, 2012 12:33 am

stutterdog wrote: Leodian wrote: 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. When i was taxi-ing in and around Pudsey I often picked up a chap who I think ran a website on the internet relating to the Leeds Pals.His father was in the battalion and survived the war.I can remember him saying his father was 90yrs old The chaps name was Mr. Wood and at that time,about 10 -12yrs ago now, owned a jewellers and watch repair business in Lowtown Pudsey. He lived in Occupation lane. If he could be contacted I'm sure he would help re the Leeds Pals Memorial. Hi stutterdog,I think the website you mention may well be as follows:www.leeds-pals.com which is run by people named wood.Seems likely the connection you mention.