Steve R
master brummie
When the first World War broke out it was obvious to the Military chiefs that whilst Britain almost certainly had the best professional army in the world made up entirely of volunteers it was far to small to fight a European War with many nations involved.
Many city's decided to raise a 1000 men to form a Battalion and offer it for service. Birmingham called for a 1000 volunteers in 1914 to offer such a Battalion, what happened surprised all, in little more that a week 4,500 men volunteered and the city was able to offer three complete Battalions in addition to a to a reserve battalion later in 1915. The were to be known locally as the 1st 2nd and 3rd Birmingham Pals which formed the 14th 15th and 16th Royal Warwickshire Battalions. Room was found for the 1st and 2nd Battalions to train at Sutton Park whilst the 3rd went to Spring Hill College in Mosely. over the next month or so I will put many of the post cards and picture in relation to the Pals that I have and tell their story.
They were so called Pals as these men were often from the same streets or week place and brothers also joined up together. It was thought that they would have better comradeship, fight hard and play hard together looking after one another but the reality was they endured hardship in the trenches and when the fighting was hard many died, streets and factory lost many of the sons and brothers at the same time.
Many city's decided to raise a 1000 men to form a Battalion and offer it for service. Birmingham called for a 1000 volunteers in 1914 to offer such a Battalion, what happened surprised all, in little more that a week 4,500 men volunteered and the city was able to offer three complete Battalions in addition to a to a reserve battalion later in 1915. The were to be known locally as the 1st 2nd and 3rd Birmingham Pals which formed the 14th 15th and 16th Royal Warwickshire Battalions. Room was found for the 1st and 2nd Battalions to train at Sutton Park whilst the 3rd went to Spring Hill College in Mosely. over the next month or so I will put many of the post cards and picture in relation to the Pals that I have and tell their story.
They were so called Pals as these men were often from the same streets or week place and brothers also joined up together. It was thought that they would have better comradeship, fight hard and play hard together looking after one another but the reality was they endured hardship in the trenches and when the fighting was hard many died, streets and factory lost many of the sons and brothers at the same time.