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Eric · 02-07-2009, 17:46

I may be straying into "it's none of my business" territory, but I'm surprised that Accrington doesn't do more to remember the Pals on July 1. In most of Canada, the significance of the day passes unnoticed because not too many places felt the concentrated effect that communities that raised Pals battallions must have felt. The one place that did raise a battallion based on Pals' principles was Newfoundland, which, at the time was not part of Canada. And in Newfoundland, July 1 is Memorial Day (the University in St. John's is Memorial University) ... this is a day set aside when, hopefully, people will remember the action of the Newfoundlanders at Beaumont Hamel (As Retlaw will be able to inform you, this is very close to where the Pals attacked at Serre). The Newfie's divisional commander said of their attack what could be applied with equal accuracy to the attack of the Pals: "It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and its assault failed of success because dead men can advance no further."

But it is reassuring that there are people like Retlaw working to keep alive a memory that can't be allowed to die.

02-07-2009, 17:46	#2
Eric God Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada Posts: 9,290 Liked: 2347 times Rep Power: 58528	Re: Ist July I may be straying into "it's none of my business" territory, but I'm surprised that Accrington doesn't do more to remember the Pals on July 1. In most of Canada, the significance of the day passes unnoticed because not too many places felt the concentrated effect that communities that raised Pals battallions must have felt. The one place that did raise a battallion based on Pals' principles was Newfoundland, which, at the time was not part of Canada. And in Newfoundland, July 1 is Memorial Day (the University in St. John's is Memorial University) ... this is a day set aside when, hopefully, people will remember the action of the Newfoundlanders at Beaumont Hamel (As Retlaw will be able to inform you, this is very close to where the Pals attacked at Serre). The Newfie's divisional commander said of their attack what could be applied with equal accuracy to the attack of the Pals: "It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and its assault failed of success because dead men can advance no further." But it is reassuring that there are people like Retlaw working to keep alive a memory that can't be allowed to die.