The Manchester Regiment 1758 - 1958

The Twentieth (Service) Battalion

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20th (Service) (5th City Pals) Battalion.


Raised at Manchester on the 8th November 1914 by the Lord Mayor & City sponsors.

The battalion moved to Morecambe in April 1915 and then on to Grantham as part of the 91st Brigade, 30th Division on the 10th August 1915 The battalion was taken over by the War Office in September 1915 to they moved to Larkhill early in November 1915

The battalion landed at Boulogne on the 20th December 1915. The 91st Brigade was transferred to the 7th Division,

Later the battalion was transfered to the 22nd Brigade, 7th Division, when in November 1917 the battalion was moved to Italy.

On the 13th September 1918 the battalion left the 7th Division and returned to France joining 7th Brigade, 25th Division at Canchy on 16th September.

On the 11th November 1918. the 7th Brigade, 25th Division was in France in the Landrecies area.



20th Battalion Diary Courtesy of Jim Morris

DATE   EVENTS,                             KIA From CWGC RECORDS


December 1914   Morecambe training      
4 May 1915   Grantham training      
7 Sep 1915   Salisbury Plain Training Larkhill Camp      
9 Nov 1915   Left Larkhill      
10 Nov 1915   March through Boulogne. Entrain to Pont Remy      
11 Nov 1915   From Pont Remy  to Bouchon and Mouflers      
12 Nov 1915   Training at Mouflers      
13 Nov 1915   Training at Mouflers      
14 Nov 1915   Training at Mouflers      
15 Nov 1915   Training at Mouflers      
16 Nov 1915   Training at Mouflers      
17 Nov 1915   To Flixecourt Belloy and Vaux-en-Amienois      
18 Nov 1915   To Bertangles, Coisy and Molliens-au-Bois      
19 Nov 1915   Molliens-au-Bois in billets      
20 Nov 1915   Molliens-au-Bois in billets      
21 Nov 1915   Molliens-au-Bois in billets      
22 Nov 1915   Molliens-au-Bois in billets      
23Nov 1915   Molliens-au-Bois in billets      
24 Nov 1915   Molliens-au-Bois in billets      
25 Nov 1915   Molliens-au-Bois in billets      
26 Nov 1915   To Pierregot, Rubempre and Puchevillers, in billets      
27 Nov 1915   To Raincheval and Couin, under canvas.      
28 Nov 1915   To Coigneux, Sailly and Hebuterne for trench training.     

29 Nov1915   Training in trenches.      
30 Nov 1915   Training in trenches.      
1 Dec 1915   Training in trenches.      
2 Dec 1915   Training in trenches.      
3 Dec 1915   Training in trenches.      
4 Dec 1915   To Sailly, Coigneux and Couin, under canvas      
5 Dec 1915   Couin under canvas.      
 6 Dec 1915   To Authie, Sarton, Doullens and Boisbergues, in billets.      
7 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
8 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
9 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
10 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
11 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
12 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
13 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
14 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
15 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
16 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
17 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
18 Dec 1915   Boisbergues, in billets.      
19 Dec 1915   To Autheux, Fienvillers, St-Leger-les-Domart and Berteaucourt, in billets.      
20 Dec 1915   To Flixecourt, Bourdon, Hangest, Riencourt and Molliens Vidame, in billets. 

     
21 Dec 1915 to 11 Jan 1916   Molliens Vidame, in billets.      
12 Jan   Molliens Vidame billets. One man killed by accident   CURVIS TOM WILLIAM 17865
13-29 Jan   Molliens Vidame, in billets.      
30 Jan    To Oissy, Cavillon, Picquigny, La Chaussee and St Vast-en-Chaussee, in billets.      
31 Jan   To Vaux en Amienois, Bertangles, Coisy, Allonville, Querrieux, Pont Noyelles, in billets.      
1 Feb   To Bonnay, Mericourt, Treux and Morlancourt, in       
2 Feb   To Reserve Dugouts Fricourt-Bray road.       CARRUTHERS J 17039
3 Feb   Reserve Dugouts Fricourt-Bray road 1w      
4 Feb    ditto      
5 Feb   ditto      
6 Feb   Returned to Morlancourt, 3W   2 KILLED   KELLY P 26107, MORROW A 17706
7-13 Feb   Morlancourt, In billets      
14 Feb   Returned to front line Fricourt      
15 Feb   Front line Fricourt  3W      
16 Feb   Ditto      
17 Feb   Ditto      
18 Feb   Moved to reserve dugouts      
19 Feb   Reserve dugouts D coy Morlancourt      
20 Feb   Ditto      
21 Feb   Ditto      
22 Feb   Returned to Morlancourt 1W 2 KILLED LAITHWAITE Lt.John,WOODS Herbert Bailey 18365
23-26 Feb   Morlancourt, in billets      
27 Feb   A coy to reserve dugouts   1/KILLED   DUNN Simon 17340
28 Feb   Moved to front line Fricourt      
29 Feb   Front line Fricourt      
1 Mar   Ditto 3W      
2 Mar   Ditto      
3 Mar   Ditto      
4 Mar   Ditto      
5 Mar   Ditto C and D coy to Morlancourt      
6 Mar   Ditto. Lt Col Lewis took command      
7 Mar   Ditto      
8 Mar   Ditto. I officer and 70 OR to Gibralter on mining fatigue. A and B to Morlancourt      
9-10 Mar   Morlancourt, in billets.      
11 Mar   To front line, C2 sector 1W   1/KILLED   JOHNSON ARTHUR, 17391
12 Mar   Ditto 1W      
13 Mar   Ditto 1W      
14 Mar   Ditto 2W   2/KILLED   MILLINGTON FRED WALLWORK 17977 MOWATT WILLIAM 18397
15 Mar   Ditto   I/KILLED   FALLOWFIELD Herbert 17885
16 Mar   Ditto 1W      
17 Mar   Relieved, returned to Morlancourt      
18-22 Mar   Morlancourt, in billets.      
23 Mar   Front line C2 sector. C coy 71 North      
24 Mar   Ditto      
25 Mar    10.30 am enemy shelled CRAWLEY RIDGE and NEW CUT. 2 HE shells on F.9.4 section.
Enemy artillery active between 6.30 and 7.0 pm chiefly with H.E on neighbourhood of
CRAWLEY RIDGE. Four of our mines exploded at 6.30 pm opposite F.10.6 and the right of F.9.1
Followed by vigorous action on both sides with field guns, TM, rifle grenades and occasional
howitzers till 7.0pm. 4 O.R killed. 1 O.R wounded   4/KILLED   
FIRTH ArthuR 17621, FOULKES John 17627, BAYES A ,17554 DIXON G 18172
26 Mar   Ditto 1W      
27 Mar   Ditto 3W      PYBUS BERTRAM 17465
28 Mar   Ditto 2W      
29 Mar   Returned to Morlancourt      WILKINSON J 18066
30 Mar   Inspection by Secretary of State for War      
31 Mar   In Morlancourt      
1 Apr   In Morlancourt      DOW ROBERT GARNETT CRICHTON, 18416
2 Apr   In Morlancourt      
3 Apr   In Morlancourt      
4Apr   Fricourt C2 Sector ROTHWELL A 17474, GARLAND SAMUEL GEORGE,17353
5 Apr   Fricourt C2 Sector 5W      
6 Apr   Fricourt C2 Sector 1W       
7 Apr   Fricourt C2 Sector1W   1   
8 Apr   Fricourt C2 Sector       
9 Apr   Fricourt C2 Sector      PAWLEY ERNEST 18009
10 Apr   To Morlancourt
Paddy Burke letter home      
11 Apr   In Morlancourt      
12 Apr   In Morlancourt      
13 Apr   To Fricourt C1 Sector 1W      GIBBONS THOMAS 17899
14 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector   1   
15 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector 4W Major Smalley   4   BESSELL H 17294 WILLIAMSON E 17265
                                                         COATES REGINALD 17590, HUGHES S 17385
16 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector 2W      WAGSTER SAMUEL 18046
17 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector 5W   2   BOTTOMS W 18115, DODD F 17073
18 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector 3W      WIGNALL HERBERT 18117
19 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector C coy to Morlancourt
7W Lieut Watts,   BRADSHAW A 17832, HOLGATE ERNEST 17382,KANARD J S 17397,KEANF W 17137
20 Apr   To Morlancourt      
21 Apr   Morlancourt      
22 Apr   Morlancourt      
23 Apr   To Fricourt C1 Sector   2   HESFORD BRUCE 17919,WILLIAMS  HARRY 18068
24 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector   1   
25 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector      RORKE S 18246
26 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector 1W      
27 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector  Accident   1   HALPIN A 17642
28 Apr   Fricourt C1 Sector 1W      
29 Apr   To Morlancourt 3W      
30 Apr   Morlancourt      
1 May   Morlancourt      
2 May   Morlancourt      
3 May   Morlancourt      
4 May   Morlancourt      
5 May   To Fricourt C1 Sector 1W      
6 May   Fricourt C1 Sector 3W      PARKYN J R 17724
7 May   Fricourt C1 Sector 1W      
8 May   Fricourt C1 Sector 9W   BRERETON STANLEY 18370 EDWARDS HAROLD 26028
             GLEW WILLIAM 17094, HOLLAND PERCY CHARLES 17654,SHARP C 17218 WOOLLEY W 18073
9 May   Fricourt C1 Sector      WASS WILLIAM 18055
10 May   Fricourt C1 Sector      
11 May    To Morlancourt      
12 May   Morlancourt      
13 May   Morlancourt      
14 May   Morlancourt      
15 May   Morlancourt      
16 May   Morlancourt      
17 May   To Fricourt C1 Sector   1   KING BEDWARD ELDON 17140
18 May   Fricourt C1 Sector 1W   1   FROST H 12883
19 May   Fricourt C1 Sector 2W   1   GOSPEL J F 17357,HOLT ARTHUR EDWARD 17928
20 May   Fricourt C1 Sector 4W      
21 May   Fricourt C1 Sector 2W      
22 May   Fricourt C1 Sector      
23 May   To Morlancourt      
24 May   Morlancourt      
25 May   Morlancourt      
26 May   Morlancourt      
27 May   Morlancourt      
28 May   Morlancourt      
29 May   To Fricourt C1 Sector 4W      
30 May   Fricourt C1 Sector 4W   1   SPEED F 18034
31 May   Fricourt C1 Sector      WILLIAMS GEORGE 18067
1 Jun   Fricourt C1 Sector 1W   1   BROWN ERNEST 17569, HILL JOHN 17648
2 Jun   Fricourt C1 Sector 2W   1   DIMELOW W 17071, TOWNSEND ERNEST 17512
3 Jun   Fricourt C1 Sector 3W  Major W D O’Brien died  7 Jun HOLDING B 26192 MORAN J 17433
4 Jun   To Morlancourt    1   HALL E 17640
5 Jun   Morlancourt      
6 Jun   Morlancourt      
7 Jun   Morlancourt      O’BRIEN Major William Donough
8 Jun   Morlancourt      
9 Jun    Morlancourt      
10 Jun   To Fricourt C1 Sector 2W      
11 Jun   Fricourt C1 Sector 2W   2   BARNSHAW J J 17006  BARROW GEORGE 17008
12 Jun   Fricourt C1 Sector 3W      
13 Jun   To Morlancourt      
14 Jun   To Corbie, Fouilloy, Aubigny,Daours, Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas.      
15 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
16 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
17 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
18 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
19 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas. Battalion Sports      
20 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
21 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
22 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
23 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
24 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
25 Jun   Bussy-Les-Daours. Under canvas      
26 Jun   To Morlancourt      
27 Jun   Morlancourt      
28 Jun   To Fricourt then back to Morlancourt      
29 Jun   Morlancourt 1W      
30 Jun   To Fricourt C1 Sector      
         
1 Jul   Quarry 300 yds SE Bois Francais-      
   Mametz-Becordel road. Attack at 2:30pm. 110 killed, 29 missing, 171 wounded.      
3 Jul   Pulled out of front line.      
14 Jul   Attack on Bazentin Wood      
17 Aug   Billets at Dernancourt. Paddy Burke letter.      
3 Sep   Attack on Delville Wood and Ginchy. 130 Pals left.      
         
Killed In Action 1 July 1916
Surname   Name   Number   Company
ABBOTT    JOHN   18490   
AINSWORTH   ERNEST   17278   
ANTHONY   ERNEST   17282   
ASHTON    JOHN WILLIAM    18175   
BAILEY   GEORGE ARTHUR   26240   
BAMBER   J   26123   
BANKS   JAMES   17815   
BARBER   WILLIAM   17287   
BARRATT   ALBERT   26131   
BAUME   HAROLD   17009   
BERRY   GEORGE HENRY   17826   
BIRD   DAVID   17296   
BOARDMAN   CYRIL   17827   
BONEHILL   C   17559   
BOWYER   E   18081   
BOYER   REGINALD HARRY   17830   D
BROOKS   FRANK SMITH   2ND LIEUT   
BRYAN   T   18082   
BURGESS   S   17030   
BUTLER   LESLIE   17035   
CAINE   THOMAS STANLEY   17309   
CHADWICK   FRED   18352   
CHANCE   FRED WILLIAM   17041   
CLIFFE   R   18237   
COCKIN   JAMES   26018   
COLE   E B   26060   
COOMBS   W W   17053   
COX   A R   17322   
CROKER   JOHN   17864   
CROMPTON   J B   17326   
CROSS   J   17327   
CUSS   C   17866   
DELPH   T   17068   
DENT   WS   17332   
DIXON   CHARLES BRETT   17335   
DUDLEY   W H   17075   
EATON   JAMES WILLCOX   2ND LIEUT   
FARAGHER   ERNEST   17618   C
FARRELL   JOHN WILLIAM   17083   
FLEMING   MARTIN MATTHIAS   17888   
FURNESS   W   17351   
GILL   GEORGE BERNARD   17633   
GORTON   ALFRED   17097   
HACKETT   FRANK   17909   
HALL   R A   17104   
HANNIBLE   J   17107   
HARDY   J   17109   
HARRIS   ARTHUR WILLIAM   18220   
HEATON   A   17112   
HESLOP   A   17114   
HIND   LEONARD   17650   
HOGG   J   18285   
HOLME   EDWARD HOLT   17927   
HOLLINS   WILLIAM   17655   
HOPKINSON   F   26148   
HORRIDGE   A   17384   
HUGHES   C   18130   
HUGHES   H   17124   
HUGHES   JOSEPH   17125   A
HUMPHREYS   G   17936   
IRVING   G   18358   
JACKSON   REUBEN MAYHEW   17390   
JACKSON   THOMAS   18411   
JENKINS   ARTHUR   17942   
JOYCE   H   17947   
KELSALL   JAMES WILLIAM   17949   
KEMP   THOMAS   2ND LIEUT   
KNOWLES   FRED   17143   
LEACH   E   17145   
LEVER   F T   17150   
LEWIS      LIEUT COL   
LOMAS   H   LIEUT   
MARTIN   W H   17160   
MASSEY   CLIFFORD   17162   
MAXWELL   S   17422   
McDERMOTT   JOHN FRANCIS   18294   
MEADOWCROFT    H C   17166   
MOORES   W S   17172   
MORGAN   H   17173   
MURPHY   DOUGLAS   26515   
MURPHY   JAMES JOSEPH   18347   
NEEDHAM   SAMUEL   17439   
NICHOLS   EDWIN JAMES   17181   
NICHOLSON   BOUSEFIELD   18180   
OWEN   RICHARD GORDON   18002   
PARKER   FRANK   17454   
PAWLEY   ERNEST   18009   
PILKINGTON   NELSON   18011   
POTTER   JOHN ERNEST   18434   
SHAW   JAMES   18102   
SIMPSON   EDWIN WHITFIELD   17754   
SMITH   STEPHEN   17758   
TAYLOR   W   26200   
THOMAS   JAMES   17241   
THORNEYCROFT   T   17242   
TWITCHETT   ALBERT   26116   
WALKER   G   18127   
WALKER   R   17787   
WARD   FRED   18053   
WHILLANS   T L   28808   
WHITE   J V   CAPTAIN   
WHITELEY   WALTER   26079   
WIDDESON   W   18118   
WILBOURNE   J   17527   
WILDE   SAMUEL ELLISON   17256   
WOODHEAD   ERIC JAMES   17272   
WORTH   H   17539   

Further reading

The Manchester Pals, M Stedman

The 5th City Pals Battalion by Phil Baker