Pals battalion
Encyclopedia
The Pals battalions of World War I
were specially constituted units of the British Army
comprising men who had enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and work colleagues ("pals"), rather than being arbitrarily allocated to regular Army regiments.
At the outbreak of World War I Lord Kitchener (Secretary of State for War
) believed that overwhelming manpower was the key to winning the war and he set about looking for ways to encourage men of all classes to join. General Sir Henry Rawlinson suggested that men would be more inclined to enlist in the Army if they knew that they were going to serve alongside their friends and work colleagues. He appealed to London stockbrokers to raise a battalion of men from workers in the City of London
to set an example. 1600 men enlisted in the 10th (Service) Bn Royal Fusiliers, the so-called "Stockbrokers' Battalion", within a week in late August 1914.
A few days later, Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby decided to organise the formation of a battalion of men from Liverpool
. Within two days, 1500 Liverpudlians had joined the new battalion. Speaking to these men Lord Derby said: "This should be a battalion of pals, a battalion in which friends from the same office will fight shoulder to shoulder for the honour of Britain and the credit of Liverpool." Within the next few days three more battalions were raised in Liverpool.
Encouraged by Lord Derby's success, Kitchener promoted the idea of organising similar recruitment campaigns throughout the entire country. By the end of September 1914, over fifty towns had formed Pals battalions, whilst the larger towns and cities were able to form several battalions.
The 'Grimsby Chums
' was formed by former schoolboys of Wintringham Secondary School in Grimsby
. Many other schools, including some of the leading public schools, also formed battalions. Several sportsmen's battalions were formed, including three battalions of football
ers (17th and 23rd (Service) Bn Middlesex Regiment
) and 16th (2nd Edinburgh) (Service) Bn Lothian Regiment Royal Scots, the last-mentioned battalion containing the entire first and reserve team players, several boardroom and staff members and sizeable contingent of supporters of Scottish professional club Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Out of nearly 1000 battalions raised during the first two years of the war, over two thirds were locally-raised Pals battalions. Some pals battalions were trade/background linked rather than area linked: i.e. "artists battalions", "sportsmen's battalions" etc.
Several of these battalions suffered heavy casualties during the Somme offensives
of 1916. One of the most notable was the 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington) East Lancashire Regiment, better known as the Accrington Pals
. The Accrington Pals were ordered to attack Serre, the most northerly part of the main assault, on the opening day of the battle. (The personal diary of Percy Allsup, an Accrington Pal, is listed below in the external links.) The Accrington Pals were accompanied by Pals battalions drawn from Sheffield, Leeds, and Bradford. Of an estimated 700 Accrington Pals who took part in the attack, 235 were killed and 350 wounded within the space of twenty minutes. Despite repeated attempts, Serre was not taken until February 1917, at which time the German forces had evacuated to the Hindenburg Line
.
The policy of drawing recruits from amongst a local population ensured that, when the Pals battalions suffered casualties, individual towns, villages, neighbourhoods, and communities back in Britain were to suffer disproportionate losses. With the introduction of conscription in January 1916, further Pals battalions were not sought. Most pal battalions were decimated by the end of 1917/ start of 1918 and most were amalgamated into other battalions to regularise battalion strength.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
were specially constituted units of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
comprising men who had enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and work colleagues ("pals"), rather than being arbitrarily allocated to regular Army regiments.
At the outbreak of World War I Lord Kitchener (Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
) believed that overwhelming manpower was the key to winning the war and he set about looking for ways to encourage men of all classes to join. General Sir Henry Rawlinson suggested that men would be more inclined to enlist in the Army if they knew that they were going to serve alongside their friends and work colleagues. He appealed to London stockbrokers to raise a battalion of men from workers in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
to set an example. 1600 men enlisted in the 10th (Service) Bn Royal Fusiliers, the so-called "Stockbrokers' Battalion", within a week in late August 1914.
A few days later, Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby decided to organise the formation of a battalion of men from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. Within two days, 1500 Liverpudlians had joined the new battalion. Speaking to these men Lord Derby said: "This should be a battalion of pals, a battalion in which friends from the same office will fight shoulder to shoulder for the honour of Britain and the credit of Liverpool." Within the next few days three more battalions were raised in Liverpool.
Encouraged by Lord Derby's success, Kitchener promoted the idea of organising similar recruitment campaigns throughout the entire country. By the end of September 1914, over fifty towns had formed Pals battalions, whilst the larger towns and cities were able to form several battalions.
The 'Grimsby Chums
Grimsby Chums
The Grimsby Chums was a British First World War Pals battalion of Kitchener's Army raised in and around the town of Grimsby in Lincolnshire. When the battalion was taken over by the British Army it was officially named the 10th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment...
' was formed by former schoolboys of Wintringham Secondary School in Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
. Many other schools, including some of the leading public schools, also formed battalions. Several sportsmen's battalions were formed, including three battalions of football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
ers (17th and 23rd (Service) Bn Middlesex Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
The Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
) and 16th (2nd Edinburgh) (Service) Bn Lothian Regiment Royal Scots, the last-mentioned battalion containing the entire first and reserve team players, several boardroom and staff members and sizeable contingent of supporters of Scottish professional club Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
Out of nearly 1000 battalions raised during the first two years of the war, over two thirds were locally-raised Pals battalions. Some pals battalions were trade/background linked rather than area linked: i.e. "artists battalions", "sportsmen's battalions" etc.
Several of these battalions suffered heavy casualties during the Somme offensives
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
of 1916. One of the most notable was the 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington) East Lancashire Regiment, better known as the Accrington Pals
Accrington Pals
The Accrington Pals was a British First World War Pals battalion of Kitchener's Army raised in and around the town of Accrington in Lancashire. When the battalion was taken over by the British Army it was officially named the 11th Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment.Recruiting was initiated by...
. The Accrington Pals were ordered to attack Serre, the most northerly part of the main assault, on the opening day of the battle. (The personal diary of Percy Allsup, an Accrington Pal, is listed below in the external links.) The Accrington Pals were accompanied by Pals battalions drawn from Sheffield, Leeds, and Bradford. Of an estimated 700 Accrington Pals who took part in the attack, 235 were killed and 350 wounded within the space of twenty minutes. Despite repeated attempts, Serre was not taken until February 1917, at which time the German forces had evacuated to the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
.
The policy of drawing recruits from amongst a local population ensured that, when the Pals battalions suffered casualties, individual towns, villages, neighbourhoods, and communities back in Britain were to suffer disproportionate losses. With the introduction of conscription in January 1916, further Pals battalions were not sought. Most pal battalions were decimated by the end of 1917/ start of 1918 and most were amalgamated into other battalions to regularise battalion strength.
See also
- Artists Rifles
- Recruitment to the British army during WW I
- List of Pals battalions
External links
- History of the Pals Battalions (BBC)
- The Accrington Pals of the East Lancashire Regiment
- The Barnsley Pals of the York and Lancaster Regiment
- A Pal on trial
- McCrae's Battalion
- One Soldiers War Diary - Percy Allsup, Chorley Pals
- 4 Brothers in War - All survived - The Allsup Brothers