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The Birmingham Pals in the Great War

Friends who know I often travel to the Somme ask why I go and what is there to see. I think it is the scale of sacrifice that draws me to the Somme and I wish to pay my respects by placing crosses for myself and other people who cannot make it overseas. Most fighting took place in trenches out in the middle of large fields below are some items found in the last two years brought to the surface by the farmers plough. The first is a spoon issued to a British soldier. The second is a shirt button from a British uniform and the third is an unexploded 'mills bomb' or hand grenade in modern language. This is followed by an unexploded Artillery shell and a British uniform buckle.



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Steve R
 

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More items in the fields

the first is part of a Bullet and the second is a piece of leather from a boot or equipment followed by a complete live bullet in the Somme mud.

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Many of the items that remain could well have been made in Birmingham as Peace time industry transformed into war time production. The Kynocks factory produced millions of rounds of riffle ammunition and artillery shells.

Steve R
 
hi steve those photos are a stark reminder of battles fought thanks for sharing them with us...mills munitions was of course situated in bridge st west and we do have a thread for it if you are interested

lyn
 
More relics from the Somme and all taken from the fields where the Birmingham Pals fought



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1st is a stock pile of artillery shells in a farm. The second is a British Stokes Mortar rounds, the third was taken in the same farm as the first and the fourth shows a German clip of five live rounds.

Steve R
 
This is the grave of the first Birmingham Pal to be killed in action. Together with the other soldiers of the three battalion 1202 Arthur Hackett landed on the 21st November 1915. There then followed a long March to the front lines and he was then one of the first to enter the trenches to spend time with other seasoned soldiers to gain experience in the trenches. Sadly on the 8th December he was killed by a sniper, his was a short war but there were many more Birmingham Pals to die in this war.

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Steve R
 
One of the nicest Birmingham Pals items that I own
I presume this was put together by the soldiers love one or mother. Very nice case when once opens reveals a picture and the words 173 Private Vincent Charles Reeve of the 15th Battalion (2nd Birmingham Pals)

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On the right is one of the medals he was entitled to have, this one being his 1915 Star and what I presume was his Mufti badge issued when uniforms were in short supply to show a man was serving. The description states he was killed on the 16th June 1916 only 19years old. The CWGC states has him listed as being in the Fauborg D'Amiens Cemetery in Arras France. He gives his parents address of 170 Alcester Road Moseley.

Steve R
 
Steve R said:
This next postcard has a nice date for use of February 1915. No 5 class under CSM North

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Hopefully the picture will show that several of the men are named. Similar the previous picture I posted but this one states it is the 14th Battalion Royal Warwickshire regiment meaning the 1st Birmingham Pals.

Steve R
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Dear Steve. Please may i have permission to include your sports images on the Birmingham Pals website www.birmighampals.co.uk which is undergoing extensive updating. Full acknowledgement would be given. I would probably locate them at
 
Hello
Yes, you may use any image I have posted on this site that you wish. Thank you for asking. Send me a PM if you think I can help any further.

Steve R
 
I've come late to this one.
Looking closely at the photo of No. 5 class I'm fascinated by the fencing masks on the ground. Those men must've been on a bayonet fighting course.
More interesting, for me, is that two of the men have "Sgt, Bantams" written across them.
I've heard of Bantams Battalions but I don't think I've ever heard of any in Brum. Does anyone have any info on them ?
 
I have just spent a fascinating hour looking through all the comments and photo's, thanks to all who contributed. Paul
 
Steve R said:
More relics from the Somme and all taken from the fields where the Birmingham Pals fought



View attachment 101448View attachment 101450View attachment 101447View attachment 101449

1st is a stock pile of artillery shells in a farm. The second is a British Stokes Mortar rounds, the third was taken in the same farm as the first and the fourth shows a German clip of five live rounds.

Steve R
Click to expand...
Zoomed in on photo #3 is it my imagination or can anyone else see the man crouched down on the right of the photo.
 
And many of those gilt tobacco tins are still around. Interesting that many soldiers sent them home. I expect that's why so many survived, some even with a few of the original contents.

I like the comment: "for here the British soldiers and their adversaries mutually respect each other"

Viv.
 
I had 2 uncles who served in WW1, and my aunts husband whose war medals I found when dealing with a family home after a death, he was in a Northumberland regiment.
After reading this thread I took the box out and had another look at everything. I have found a number that is very faint on the silver war medal, it is different to all the other medal numbers. I might at last have a lead to one of my uncles service in that awful war. Among them is theWarwickshire Pals cap badge!!
 
morning di how lucky you are to have found those medals...have you checked ancestry to see if either of your uncles war records survived

lyn
 
Di
That is a great find. I do have information on the Pals Battalions, if you pass the numbers off the medals I will see if I have any additional information.

Steve R
 
Steve,

The Moseleians Association, of which I am a member, included the following message in the current issue of the Gazette.

"The Association has now commissioned a brown plaque in memory of the Third Birmingham Pals, which we hope will be ready to unveil at school near to or at the Remembrance Day event on 11th November 2017".

I cannot be there myself as I am resident in Crete. Check your message box.

Maurice
 
Yes Lyn, I have checked all sources for info on my two uncles, no luck so far.

Thank you Steve, you won't believe it but I can't find the medal. Last seen in my pen pot on my desk!! It can't have gone far can it.
 
Ok Steve, I found it. Couldn't see for looking.

Two Uncles William Henry Horton, born 1892, George Horton, born 1898, both joined the war from Hamstead. George has two wound stripes on his uniform.

The number on the badge is 275212. It is the silver Service Medal. For King and Empire Services Rendered.

The photo is of George, and seems to indicate he was perhaps a Gunner?George RHA 0002.jpg
 
Di
The plot thickens. That badge is down to Mattew Robert Lowes Wanless of the Linclonshire Regiment, any connection. Hewent overseas on the 14 September 1915. I can't see any connection with the Birmingham Pals unless there was another family member. Like you say with the leather bandolier normally a gunner or mounted. Do you have a picture of the cap badge? or any other medals?

Steve R
 
Hi Steve, absolutely no connection. The other medals I have are an uncle by marriage, he was in the Norfolks, and the Pals badge. The only other photo I have is again Uncle George, wearing his cap but it is blurred. I'll attach it just in case. George Gunner 0001.jpg
 

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hi di bit of mystery you have there....could you also post a photo of the badge belonging to matthew wanless

lyn
 
Service Medal.jpg Service Medal.jpg Here it is Lyn, the standard Service Medal. I guess it was given to all who served.
I have no idea why my family had it.
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