[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by dusty mears

i cant belive it was 1975 when you visited. I can still remember you & grandad going but didnt know what it was all about. Sadly, unlike us, not many families have kept the memory of their Pal going. I see Great Uncle Walter every day - he keeps an eye on me - suppose someone needs to!

That was the first visit, you were'nt in your teen's
then.
The Pals meanwhile, after a nights sleep, and breakfast, equipment and uniforms had to be scraped clean of mud, letters, and parcels had arrived from home, letters to men that would never read their letters, or open their parcels of goodies from home. The survivors opened the parcels, and shared out the contents amongst his mates, and write as kindly as they could to the senders.
Many on their next leave home would have to visit them, and tell them how their son, father or husband had died.
No rest for the remaining Pals, who could no longer be known as the Accrington Pals. On the 8th July, the remnants of the 11th Battalion marched to Prevent, and after the usual wait for French trains boarded the carriages, which were labeled 8 Chevaux Or 40 Hommes (8 horses or 40 men), which transported them to Steenbecque, although uncomfortable it was better than marching, arriving at 2130.
This period Steenbecque was then spent in reorganization, training Lewis gunners & bombers.
The 11th was being slowly brought back up to strength, several drafts of officers and men, some of them from the 12th Battalion, now the 75th Training Reserve joined the battalion.
Retlaw