[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

Very interesting.
Perhaps retlaw can tell us-
Were all those men in the Pals? So many of them, can't have been many young men left in Accrington! How many came back?
Were the men leading the march on Salisbury Plain carrying large axes? If so why?
They were wearing 'pith helmets' weren't they? Did they only wear tin helmets on the front line?
Would be interesting to know-I'm sure retlaw can help.

A battalion consists of 1000 men, each consisting of 4 companies, one of the companies consists of Pioneers (the ones carring axes), Signallers & Runners, Stretcher bearers, Cooks, Muleteers, Saddlers & boot makers, Medical section, Stores, Water Men, Wheelwrights Joiners, Cold Shoers, and reach me fetch me carriers.
They were wearing pith helmets because they were going to Egwypt.
During WW1 over 5000 men from Accrington alone, served in the colours from Aug 1914 to 1919. At the outbreak of the war there were already men from Accrington serving in the Army & Navy.
Retlaw.