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Post by bomber on Oct 23, 2010 20:28:39 GMT
You have Friends JIM I can go, but not in February, have spoken with Emma about that I don't think as an ex Cub Scout Leader, we would have expected you to have been that Prepared lolol
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Post by Hawker Hurricane on Oct 23, 2010 20:34:23 GMT
Well, you never know. Never had a passport before, but if a chance to go over and visit some of the battlefields / memorials comes along, at least that's one barrier overcome in advance . And I can't think of better friends to have on such a trip than my wonderful SWARM friends. Whenever it happens, you're the people I'd love to share the experience with.
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Post by bomber on Oct 23, 2010 20:52:27 GMT
Awwwwwwwww Jim
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Post by Hawker Hurricane on Oct 23, 2010 20:54:44 GMT
I did tell you I was big old softy didn't I?
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Post by bomber on Oct 23, 2010 21:32:47 GMT
Wish more were like you Jim
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Post by Spitfire on Oct 23, 2010 22:11:19 GMT
I've asked the question about annual leave..awaiting a response
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mack
Second Lieutenant
Posts: 481
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Post by mack on Oct 28, 2010 20:44:33 GMT
debs/gary. have a word with monsstar[roy] on our forum,he organises trips for some of our moderators,he knows some good places to stay,and they are quite cheap
mack
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Post by shred on Oct 28, 2010 22:29:30 GMT
Mack,
Thanks for this will bare in mind when we can all agree on dates etc.....
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Post by prospectroad on Dec 3, 2010 20:27:05 GMT
katie, here are some photos from Thiepval. On 1st July 1916 the 15th LFs (1st Salford Pals) attacked Thiepval from trenches in front of Thiepval Wood (background) Attachments:
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Post by prospectroad on Dec 3, 2010 20:30:25 GMT
The LFs struggled uphill towards what is now the Thiepval Memorial (background) Attachments:
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Post by prospectroad on Dec 3, 2010 20:32:24 GMT
This photo gives you an idea of the gradient that the men had to overcome while laden down with equipment and under constant and heavy machine gun and artillery fire Attachments:
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Post by prospectroad on Dec 3, 2010 20:36:17 GMT
On 1st July the 1st Salford Pals had attacked in front of Thiepval, suffering 470 casualties from the 624 who attacked. Men from B and C Companies of the 2nd Salford Pals were ordered up to support them, but were forced back by machine-gun fire, and lost over 200 men. The 3rd Salford Pals also suffered badly from machine-gun fire as they moved up to the front on the same day. Many of these men have no known grave and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. Attachments:
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Post by prospectroad on Dec 3, 2010 21:06:29 GMT
Hugh Connor – Killed in action 1st July 1916Lance Sergeant Hugh Connor (Service no. 10678) served in the 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Salford), The Lancashire Fusiliers, 96th Brigade, 32nd Division. The battalion was more famously known as the 1st Salford Pals. Hugh was born in Irlam, the son of James and Sarah Connor of 4 Dixon Street, Irlam. He lived with his wife, Annie and four children at 11 Birch Avenue, Cadishead and worked at the CWS Soap Works and regularly attended St Teresa's RC Church. He enlisted at Salford into the 15th Lancashire Fusiliers on 3rd October 1914 (giving an address of 14 Moss Lane, Cadishead) and by mid-1915 he was a Lance Corporal in 12 Platoon, C Company. He went to France with his battalion on 22nd November 1915. He returned home on leave in June 1916, by which time he was a Lance Sergeant. On 1st July the Pals had attacked in front of Thiepval, suffering 470 casualties from the 624 who attacked. Men from B and C Companies of the 2nd Salford Pals were ordered up to support them, but were forced back by machine-gun fire, and lost over 200 men. The 3rd Salford Pals also suffered badly from machine-gun fire as they moved up to the front on the same day. Hugh was killed in action on Saturday, 1st July 1916, along with many of the 1st Salford Pals at Thiepval. He was 30 years old. Hugh‟s friend, Corporal John Dooley also of 12 Platoon, wrote, in a letter to his own wife: "I have lost all my comrades, some of the best lads that ever lived. Poor Hughie and I agreed that if either of us got killed or wounded the one who was left should break the news to those at home and fate has decided that this painful task should fall on me. Poor Hughie was killed by shell-fire in the first few minutes of the battle and it is a consolation to know that he suffered no pain. I find it hard to realise that he is dead.‟ In the last letter Hugh sent to his wife, which arrived after he had been killed, he asked his wife not to worry and said, "I shall soon be at home again.‟ His letter was very optimistic on the progress of the war and expressed his confidence of an early end to the war. Sadly the War Office revived forlorn hopes that Hugh may have been taken prisoner of war by posting him as missing rather than killed. Mrs Connor was taken seriously ill very soon after receiving the news that Hugh was missing and she was taken to Manchester Infirmary where she had an operation for appendicitis. Four months later, on 14th November 1916, the battalion returned to Thiepval. The attack they were to take part in was cancelled due to bad weather so they took the opportunity to search for fallen comrades from the earlier battle. More than 150 bodies including ten officers were found but only 87 were identified. The Salford City Reporter (16th December 1916) listed the men whose bodies had been identified, including Hugh Connor. Hugh was buried in Thiepval Woods but the graves were later destroyed by shelling. Only eight of those listed in the Reporter have known graves in Connaught Cemetery. Hugh is listed on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Attachments:
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Post by prospectroad on Dec 3, 2010 21:11:41 GMT
Herbert Douglas Strachan – Killed in action 1st July 1916
Private Herbert Strachan (Service no. 11254) served in 5 Platoon, B (Eccles) Company of the 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Salford), The Lancashire Fusiliers, 96th Brigade, 32nd Division. The battalion was one of the famous Salford Pals Battalions and B Company consisted of men mainly from Eccles and surrounding districts.
Herbert was born in Aberdeen, the son of William and Helen Strachan. He resided with his sister, Mrs Fielding, at 520 Liverpool Road, Irlam and worked at the British Westinghouse Company, Trafford Park. He enlisted into the Lancashire Fusiliers at Salford in November 1914. One year later he sailed with the battalion to France, arriving on 22nd November 1915.
On the first day of the Somme the 16th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers were wrongly informed that the 15th Battalion had got into the village of Thiepval and needed help. The 16th unsuccessfully assaulted the strong German positions around Thiepval, losing eight officers and 223 men on the first day alone. Herbert was one of those killed in action at Thiepval on Saturday, 1st July 1916.
In an attempt to gain information, his sister wrote to Captain Tweed, his Commanding Officer, who explained that Herbert had been seen during the attack with three gunshot wounds, which looked serious. He had no further news but offered little hope. Herbert's death was not officially confirmed until almost a year later in June 1917. His body was later recovered and buried in Connaught Cemetery, Somme, France. His obituary in the newspaper read: "And with the morn these angels faces smile, which I have loved long since and lost awhile – sadly missed by their sorrowing sisters, Mrs Milne (Aberdeen) and Mrs Fielding.‟
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Post by prospectroad on Dec 3, 2010 21:13:13 GMT
Herbert Strachan Attachments:
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