The Barnsley Pals

Both battalions of the Barnsley pals (the 13th and 14th battalions of the York and Lancaster regiment) fought at the Somme on the 1st of july 1916.
Positioned at the extreme left of the british line with no support for their right flank, they were tasked with the capture of Serre, a German stronghold.
Along with the other units of the 94th brigade, they bled to death in the mud and smoke of the feilds around Serre.
Following the battle, the battalions were merged as so many of their number never returned.
We will remember them.

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4 Comments

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Joseph Evans [111th SYF]

11 Nov, 2015 @ 9:36am

lest we forget

Matty-613 18 Jun, 2015 @ 8:47am

If your joining the discussion tonight Joe will be on at 6.30pm

Joseph Evans [111th SYF]

27 Apr, 2015 @ 12:46pm

Serre was not captured, but it was the objective of the 31st division, to which the barnsley pals belonged. One of the biggest tradgedies of the final attack on the somme was that the 31st division, having spent july to november recovering was ordered to attack Serre again. just as many men died as on the 1st of July and the village did not fall.
As you said, British gains further south left Serre exposed, so it was abandoned in early 1917. The Wikipedia page for this section of the battle is very vaigue and I would suggest other sources of information such as 'The Imperial War Museum book of the Somme' by Malcolm Brown as it covers the whole battle in good detail.