• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

The Birmingham Pals in the Great War

The talents of the Pals continues to show

Scan53.jpg

In this picture the band are playing. I am not sure where this has been taken several locations were used for parades including land around Whittington barracks so it may even be there.

Steve R
 
Fun in the huts

Unusual card this one.

View attachment 101124

Its apparent that the men have been doing a show of some sort and one of them is dressed as Charlie Chaplain. Several other of the men have dressed up as characters.

Steve R

Hi Steve

During 1915 Charlie Chaplin films were so popular that various Birmingham cinemas held competitions for the best Charlie Chaplin impersonator. No Doubt the Pals in your picture were doing the same.

Terry

(now I know who outbid me for this postcard on ebay!!!)
 
Here is a picture of the drums and bugles platoon of the 3rd Birmingham Battalion. On active service these would become stretcher bearers. The soldier marked with an "X" is Hilary Arthur Reuel Tolkien the brother of J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings etc)
As you can see the men are now wearing khaki, thus I would imagine the picture was taken during the latter part of 1915 not long before they went to France.

Regards

Terry
 

Attachments

  • 1 a Drums 3rd BhamBn.jpg
    1 a Drums 3rd BhamBn.jpg
    618.2 KB · Views: 49
Terry
Its surprising just how many of these photographs and pictures have survived over the last 100 years. I don't have that many items from the time they went overseas hopefully you will be able to assist if you still have the material from your excellent books.

Steve R
 
Excellent thread Steve, lots of interesting information and photos. Found these three photo cards on eBay - they're advertised as Birmingham PALS. Someone may be able to decipher names. Viv.

The centre photo seems to have been signed with the dedication, "From one Buck to another".

Is it likely "Bucks" would've been some sort of nickname the Warwicks gave themselves, derived from the antelope in their cap badge ? Certainly the Leicestershire regiment called themselves "Tigers".
 
Terry
Its surprising just how many of these photographs and pictures have survived over the last 100 years. I don't have that many items from the time they went overseas hopefully you will be able to assist if you still have the material from your excellent books.

Steve R

I have a few pictures, the small type, of the 16th Royal Warwickshire on active service that belonged to an officer of the battalion.

Terry
 
Apologies Steve, I've just compared the photos I posted in #57 with your earlier images in # 41 and realised they're the same men. Your first photo in #41 is Horace Timmins. Some info about him:

Corporal Horace Timmins Service # 851, 15th Battalion
Son of Mrs E Timmins, 38 High Street, Amblecote, Stourbridge
b. 1894, Handsworth
d. 29/08/16 killed in action, Somme, named on Thiepval Memorial


Viv.
 
Last edited:
Some more information about Captain Roland Ivor Gough named in post # 51:
15th Battallion
b. 1896, in Birmingham. In 1901 living at. 163 Broad St, Birmingham
d. 14/10/16, memorial at St. Sever, Rouen. Supplement to the London Gazette describes circumstances of his death
Awarded the DSO
From the Supplement to the London Gazette 22/09/17


image.jpg

And info about the action in which he was wounded. He died in #2 Red Criss Hospital, Rouen.

ATTACK ON "WOOD LANE" 23 JULY 1916 20th July 1916 - 23rd July 1916
Lt-Col Colin Harding, the CO of the 15th (Service)Battalion, (2nd Birmingham) The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, recalled the following in his memoirs.
"Later, when proceeding to the scene of the action, I met amongst the wounded a stretcher bearing my dear old friend, Gough, (Captain Roland Ivor Gough, CO D Company; aged only twenty) still smoking his inevitable cigarette, bespatterd with mud, pale as death but cheerful. He had been shot through the thigh and had a compound fracture. As we shake hands, Gough gives me a few heart rending details of the loss of life and the attack, needlessly apologises for its failure and passed on. We never met again."


On 25th July 1916 Roland's father received a telegram from the War Office granting permission for him to visit his 'dangerously ill' son in the Red Cross Hospital in Rouen. For conspicuous gallantry in this action Roland Gough was awarded the DSO but died of his wounds shortly after the award was promulgated in the London Gazette. On 18 March 1917 Roland's father wrote to the War Office requesting that the medal be sent to him.



Viv.
 
Last edited:
Ghosts

One evening, ere the final fall of dark,
I walk'd awhile alone in Sutton Park
And view'd, with pleasure subtly mixed with pain,
The old familiar land-marks once again.
There, there before my memory-clouded eyes,
I saw the shades of yesterday arise.
Beneath the pallid summer-evening moon
A phantom sergeant drill'd his ghost platoon;
I heard the muffled tread of marching feet,
I saw them halt, mark-time, advance, retreat,
Form fours, left wheel, and change direction right
Pass thro' the trees and vanish from my sight.
Then, near the spot where once our guard-room stood,
I paused awhile in contemplative mood,
And there, with rhythm-measured beat and slow,
A ghostly sentinel march'd to and fro;
A spectral bugler blew a faint tattoo,
And then the vision vanish'd, and I knew
That Sutton Park, to those who hold it dear,
Is peopled by the ghosts of yester-year;
That, now the mortal soldier-men are gone,
The wraiths of the battalions "carry on".
They fight their mimic warfare o'er again
And haunt, as ghosts, the scenes they knew as men.


Private Richard Louis Bertram Moore No.1010, 2nd Birmingham Battalion (15th Royal Warwickshire)
taken from his book of verse "The Warblings of a Windy Warrior" published in 1923
Known throughout the battalion as "Ricardo"
 

Attachments

  • sutton ghosts.jpg
    sutton ghosts.jpg
    408.9 KB · Views: 35
Apologies Steve, I've just compared the photos I posted in #57 with your earlier images in # 41 and realised they're the same men. Your first photo in #41 is Horace Timmins. Some info about him:

Corporal Horace Timmins Service # 851, 15th Battalion
Son of Mrs E Timmins, 38 High Street, Amblecote, Stourbridge
b. 1894, Handsworth
d. 29/08/16 killed in action, Somme, named on Thiepval Memorial


At the time he was killed his mother was living in Marston Green

Terry
 
A little more info about the men in post 51:


Broughton is Second Lieutenant Pierce Broughton
15th Battallion

Captain Archibald Henry Tatlow
Son of Henrietta Tatlow, of 25, Molineux St, Derby and Albert H. Tatlow.
15th Battalion, Service #15/844
b. 1885, Burton, Staffordshire
d. 04/06/16 - killed in action, buried at Faubourg D'Amiens Cemetery, Arras

Viv.
 
Thank you Terry for that poem.

I thought I would post a picture of the 1st Birmingham Pals at some sort of sports day in Sutton Park.

Scan55.jpg

Clearly an event for friends and family to join on a nice day.

Steve R
 
Another platoon of Pals posing for the camera

Scan56.jpg

I believe this to be the 1st Pals looking at the Shoulder titles so probably taken in Sutton park.

Steve R
 
Two picture of Christmas cards sent in 1916 and 1917.


Scan59.jpg Scan58.jpg

Two Christmas cards sent back from the front lines. The first from 1916 lists the main battles the 1st B'ham Pals were involved in. In particular the battle in and around High wood on the 23rd July was the most costly for the 1st Pals followed by Falemont Farm in the September.


The post card from 1917 has greeting from France in it but this has been crossed out and Italy has been written it. In October a joint Austro-German offensive pushed the Italian back 80 miles and the Allies sent 12 Division (five British and seven French) from the Western Front to assist the demoralised Italian army. The Pals were amongst these soldiers being part of the 5th Division and were to remain in Italy until March 1918 when a Major German offensive started on the Western front and they were rushed back to stop the German advance. The Journey to Italy by slow moving trains was described as been a welcome change from the trenches of the Western front and having arrived in Italy the fighting had died down and little fighting done. The card has been sent by Private W T J Eadey. Ancestry shows Pte 18785 William T J Eadey as the only match and he survived the war
Steve R
 
I see the Sergeant has managed to be the only one with a sling for his P14, "privilege of rank" they used to call that !

i wonder what that strap across his chest was for ?
The rifles in the photo are Lee Methods patt1888 with mag cut off and maybe sights for supressive fire you see p14s/p17s on dads army made by Eddeystone/Remminton/Winchester and Briish companis its a great photo
 
Thank you Terry for that poem.

I thought I would post a picture of the 1st Birmingham Pals at some sort of sports day in Sutton Park.

View attachment 101149

Clearly an event for friends and family to join on a nice day.

Steve R

There's a pair of boots on the right edge of this great photo, with a huge hole in the sole. I can't believe an Infantry unit would allow a man's footwear to become so worn.
 
Yes Steve it was the 1st Birmingham Battalion Sports Day in Sutton Park
 

Attachments

  • 1st Bham Bn Sports day.jpg
    1st Bham Bn Sports day.jpg
    454.5 KB · Views: 31
Several Warwickshire County cricketers served in the Birmingham Pals plus these two former Villa players who served in the 3rd Birmingham Battalion.
 

Attachments

  • football players.jpg
    football players.jpg
    360.3 KB · Views: 27
Back
Top