In June the East Lancashire Territorials played a gallant part in desperate fighting around Krithia. The following morning the British army advanced as part of the Allied counter-stroke known as the Battle of the Marne. The accurate and disciplined fire of the 2nd South Lancashires, in front of Frameries, took a heavy toll of the massed German infantry, but eventually the battalion was ordered to retire. 2nd Loyal North Lancashires mobilised at Bangalore in India and was the only British unit in an Indian Army expedition against German East Africa (now Tanzania). Another stand was made at Le Cateau on 26th August, where the 1st East Lancashires made a stubborn defence in front of the village of Ligny and the depleted South Lancashires grimly held their position in the centre of the British line, near Caudry, until both battalions were ordered to break contact and join the general retirement. The Service Battalions During the latter half of 1915 Lancashire units of the ‘New Army’ began to arrive on the Western Front, including the three 7th Battalions (all in the same brigade), the three 8th Battalions, the three 9th Battalions, 11th South Lancashires and 10th Loyal North Lancashires. 1942.08.26 East Africa 29 Bde, Force 121 Community With the coming of spring, both sides attempted offensive action: Neuve Chapelle From 10 to 13 March the 2nd East Lancashires took part in heavy fighting during a limited British offensive which captured the village of Neuve Chapelle, suffering 287 casualties in their first European battle for a hundred years. 1881 India: Bengal Six Lancashire battalions took part in the offensive – 8th East Lancashires and 10th Loyal North Lancashires advanced up the Arras-Cambrai road and then saw heavy fighting around Gavrelle, where 1st East Lancashires were also engaged, while 11th South Lancashires supported the attack further south. After a fierce fight the battalion was literally wiped out. On September 10th the 1st East Lancashires was the first British unit across the River Marne at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre. The Great War [17 battalions]: Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, On the far left of the British attack the 11th East Lancashires ( the famous ‘Accrington Pals’) assaulted the village of Serre, while a mile to their south the 1st Battalion ( the old 30th Foot) attacked to the north of Beaumont Hamel. 1934.12 Germany: Saar International Force supervising plebiscite 1908 England: Woking The 57th Division, with the 2nd/4th South Lancashires, and the 2nd/4th, 1st/5th and 3rd/5th Loyal North Lancashires, took part in the battle of the Scarpe 29th-30th August, and the assault on the Drocourt-Queant Line, the northern extension of the Hindenburg Line, where on 2nd September the South Lancashires took 56 machine guns and 400 prisoners, and then made opposed crossings the Canal du Nord and Canal de l’Escaut to capture Cambrai on 9th October before moving north to occupy Lille. I have his dogtags and would love to get them home to his family. Demobilisation soon began, but several Lancashire battalions joined the British Army of Occupation in Germany, based around Cologne. 1933 Hong Kong Division, with the 2nd/4th South Lancashires, and the 2nd/4th, 1st/5th and 3rd/5th Loyal North Lancashires, took part in the battle of the Scarpe 29th-30th August, and the assault on the Drocourt-Queant Line, the northern extension of the Hindenburg Line, where on 2. Age 26. Both Battalions took part in the Allenby’s successful advance, earning six Battle Honours including Gaza, Jaffa and Jerusalem before they departed for France in April 1918. J. W. Thomas report to Headquarters following Eureka rebellion, The Regiments In The South African War 1899-1902, The Accrington Pals and the Benedictine Connection – or ‘A Bene and ‘ot’, A “Fearful Tragedy” and The Ballad of Private McCaffery. The burst of an enemy shell can be seen beyond the tree. Bellewaarde On 16th June the Warrington Territorials fought their first major engagement when they carried advanced trenches near Hooge on the Bellewaarde Ridge, and later beat off the enemy’s counter-attack. 1940.06 UK The 2nd South Lancashires also closed up to the Schelde, and after hard-fought river crossing operations on 22nd-24th October and 7th-8th November, they continued to pursue the enemy until halted at Flobecque by 11th November. Marching on through Courtrai to the River Schelde, which they crossed without opposition on 9th November, the ‘Pals’ were near Grammont on the Dendre, some twenty miles from Brussels, when the Armistice brought hostilities to an end. Givenchy The 55th Division, which included the 1/4th and 5th South Lancashires and the 1/4th Loyal North Lancashires, was in the line between Givenchy and Festubert when the Portuguese to their north collapsed, but the West Lancashire men held their positions on the southern flank of the assault with splendid valour and tenacity and refused to give ground. Black Soldiers in Lancashire in the Early 19th Century. On the northern flank of the breakthrough the 34th Division, including 1st East Lancashires, was outflanked by the Portuguese collapse and fell back through Armentières to occupy a succession of blocking positions around Bailleul. T he South Lancashire Regiment was formed in 1881 as a result of the Cardwell reforms of the British Army. 1943. Casualties on both sides were appalling: 162,769 British and some 255,000 Germans. 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