Editing Manchester Regiment (section)

==First World War==

===Mobilisation===
On the outbreak of war in August 1914 the 1st Battalion was part of the [[8th (Jullundur) Brigade]] of the [[3rd (Lahore) Division|3rd (Lahore) Indian Division]], while the 2nd Battalion was part of  [[14th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|14th Brigade]] in [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Division]], stationed in Ireland.<ref name = James>James, pp. 96–7.</ref><ref name = Trail>[http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/manchester-regiment/ Manchester Regiment at Long, Long Trail.]</ref>

In August 1914 the two Special Reserve battalions went to their war station in the [[Humber]] Garrison where they carried out the dual tasks of garrison duties and preparing reinforcement drafts of regular reservists, special reservists, recruits and returning wounded for the two regular battalions. <ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/>

The Territorial battalions mobilised in August 1914 as part of the [[42nd (East Lancashire) Division|East Lancashire Division]]. Shortly afterwards the Territorial Force was invited to volunteer for overseas service and the bulk of the East Lancashire Division did so. The division was sent to [[Sultanate of Egypt|Egypt]] to relieve the Regular garrison for service on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] and was subsequently designated the [[42nd (East Lancashire) Division]]. Those men who were ineligible for overseas service, together with the volunteers who were flooding in, were formed into second line units distinguished with a '2/' prefix (2/5th Manchesters ''etc'') . The 2nd Line battalions of the Manchesters joined the [[66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division]].<ref name = Frederick/><ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/><ref>Gibbon, pp. 1–18.</ref><ref name = Becke42>Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 35–41.</ref><ref name = Becke66>Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 67–74.</ref><ref>[http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/42nd-east-lancashire-division/ 42nd (EL) Division at Long, Long Trail.]</ref><ref>[http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/66th-2nd-east-lancashire-division/ 66th (2nd EL) Division at Long, Long Trail.]</ref>
[[File:30a Sammlung Eybl Großbritannien. Alfred Leete (1882–1933) Britons (Kitchener) wants you (Briten Kitchener braucht Euch). 1914 (Nachdruck), 74 x 50 cm. (Slg.Nr. 552).jpg|right|thumb|[[Alfred Leete]]'s recruitment poster for Kitchener's Army.]]
Meanwhile on 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular Army, and the newly-appointed [[Secretary of State for War]], [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Earl Kitchener of Khartoum]] issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'.<ref>War Office Instructions No 32 (6 August) and No 37 (7 August).</ref><ref>Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 2 & 8; Appendix I.</ref> Volunteers poured into the recruiting offices across the country and were formed into 'Service' battalions of the county regiments. So many came forward that the 'K1' battalions were quickly filled and the recruitment of the 'K2', 'K3' and 'K4' units quickly followed. The Manchesters formed the 11th (Service) Bn (K1), [[12th (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Battalion, Manchester Regiment|12th (Service) Bn]] (K2), 13th (Service) Bn (K3) and 14th (Reserve) Bn (K4).<ref name = Frederick/><ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/>

The flood of volunteers overwhelmed the ability of the army to absorb and organise them, and by the time the Fifth New Army (K5) was authorised, many of its constituent units were being organised as "[[Pals battalion]]s" under the auspices of mayors and corporations of towns up and down the country. The [[Lord Mayor of Manchester|Lord Mayor and City of Manchester]] raised eight battalions of [[Manchester Pals]], which became the 16th–23rd (Service) Bns of the Manchester Regiment, subtitled '1st City', '2nd City', ''etc''. Meanwhile the  Mayor and Town of Oldham raised the 24th (Service) Bn (Oldham Pioneers). Later the 25th–27th (Reserve) Bns were formed from the depot companies of the Pals battalions.<ref name = Frederick/><ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/>

===Western Front===
[[File:Manchester Regiment - Graves of soldiers in the cemetery of Croisilles.jpg|thumb|{{center|Graves of five soldiers in the cemetery of Ervillers.}}]]
The 1st Battalion moved to France, landing at [[Marseille]] in September 1914.<ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/> Having been briefly attached to French cavalry, the 1st Battalion moved to the frontline on 26 October, relieving a battalion of the [[Bedfordshire Regiment]] near [[Festubert]].<ref>Wylly, H. C. (1923), ''History of the Manchester Regiment (Late the 63rd and 96th Foot)'', p. 108.</ref> Three days later, a heavy bombardment preceded an attack by a German force directed against the 2nd Battalion, Manchesters and the 1st Battalion, [[Devonshire Regiment]]. Despite capturing a trench line, the Germans were unable to capitalise due to the actions of a platoon commanded by Second-Lieutenant [[James Leach (VC)|James Leach]]. In the process of their methodical retaking of the [[Trench warfare|trench]], the party killed eight, wounded two and captured 14 soldiers.<ref>Mileham (2000), p. 86.</ref> For their contribution to the defence of the Manchesters' trenches, Second-Lieutenant Leach and Sergeant [[John Hogan (VC)|John Hogan]] were awarded the [[Victoria Cross]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29015|page=10920 |date=22 December 1914 }}</ref> Severe casualties were sustained by the 1st Manchesters and its brigade during the [[Battle of Neuve Chapelle]]. A succession of intensely fought battles followed, culminating in the [[Second Battle of Ypres]] and [[Battle of Loos]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themanchesters.org/1st%20batt.htm|title=The Manchester Regiment 1899–1958: The First Battalion|publisher=The Manchesters|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref>

The 2nd Manchesters embarked for France with the 5th Division in August 1914 and contributed to the rearguard actions that supported the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]]'s (BEF) retreat following the [[Battle of Mons]].<ref>Mileham (2000), pp. 83–4.</ref> The battalion was engaged in the battles of the [[First Battle of the Marne|Marne]], the [[First Battle of the Aisne|Aisne]] and [[First Battle of Ypres|"First Ypres"]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themanchesters.org/2nd%20batt.htm|title=The Manchester Regiment 1899–1958: The Second Battalion|publisher=The Manchesters|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref>

On 1 July 1916, the [[first day on the Somme|first day]] of the [[Battle of the Somme]], the regiment had nine battalions committed, including the [[Manchester Pals]], the 16th (1st City), 17th (2nd City), 18th (3rd City) and 19th (4th City), all serving in the [[90th Brigade (United Kingdom)|90th Brigade]] of the [[30th Division (United Kingdom)|30th Division]]. The day proved to be the deadliest in the British Army's history, with more than 57,000 killed, wounded or missing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/discover/the-battle-of-the-somme.aspx|title=The Battle of the Somme|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref>

The regiment continued its involvement in the Somme Offensive. In late July, the 16th, 17th and 18th Manchesters attacked an area in the vicinity of the small village of [[Guillemont]]. During the action, Company Sergeant-Major [[George Evans (VC)|George Evans]], of the 18th, volunteered to deliver an important message, having witnessed five previous, fatal attempts to do so. He delivered his message, running more than half a mile despite being wounded. He was awarded the Victoria Cross.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31759|date=27 January 1920 |page=1217|supp=y}}</ref>

[[File:2nd Manchesters capturing a German battery at Francilly Selency, Apriil 1917.jpg|thumb|C Company, 2nd Manchesters taking the battery at Francilly Selency. Painting by [[Richard Caton Woodville]] (1856–1927)]]

On 2 April 1917, the 2nd Manchesters attacked [[Francilly-Selency]], in which C Company captured a battery of 77&nbsp;mm guns and a number of machine-guns. Two paintings were made of this action by the military artist [[Richard Caton Woodville]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.directart.co.uk/mall/artist.php?ArtistID=193|title=Richard Caton Woodville|publisher=Direct Art|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref> Later in the month, the Manchester Regiment fought in the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Arras Offensive]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jeremybanning.co.uk/tag/battle-of-arras/|title=Remembering the Battle of Arras: First Battle of the Scarpe 9-14 April 1917.|date=8 April 2012|publisher=Jeremy Banning|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref>

Preparations for a [[Battle of Passchendaele|new offensive]], the Third Battle of Ypres, in the Ypres sector had got under-way in June with a preliminary assault on [[Battle of Messines (1917)|Messines]]. The Manchester Pals' Brigade fought in the offensive's opening battle, at Pilckem Ridge, on 31 July.<ref>Mileham (2000), p. 125.</ref> Conditions during "Third Ypres" (or [[Passchendaele Ridge|Passchendaele]]) reduced the battleground to an intractable morass.<ref>Morrow (2005), ''The Great War: An Imperial History'', p. 192.</ref> During "Third Ypres", Sergeant [[Charles Harry Coverdale|Coverdale]], of the 11th (Service) Battalion, killed three snipers, rushed two machine gun positions, then reorganised his platoon to capture another position, though after advancing some distance was forced back due to bombardment from the British artillery, suffering nine casualties in the advance.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30433 |supp=y|page=13222|date=14 December 1917 }}</ref>

After serving on the Western Front from July 1915 with [[17th (Northern) Division]], including the [[Ypres Salient]] and the battles of the Somme and Arras, 12th (Service) Battalion amalgamated with Regimental HQ and two squadrons of the Manchester-based [[Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry]] (DLOY), who had been dismounted and retrained as infantry. From 24 September 1917 the battalion was redesignated [[12th (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Battalion, Manchester Regiment|12th (DLOY) Battalion, Manchester Regiment]]. It continued serving with 17th (N) Division until the Armistice, including the Battle of Passchendaele, the [[German Spring Offensive]] and the [[Allies of World War I|Allied]] [[Hundred Days Offensive]].<ref name = Frederick/><ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/><ref name = Becke17>Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 71–7.</ref><ref>Frederick, p. 38.</ref><ref>James, p. 22.</ref><ref>[http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-yeomanry-regiments-of-1914-1918/duke-of-lancasters-own-yeomanry/ DLOY at Long, Long Trail.]</ref><ref>[http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/17th-northern-division/ 17th (N) Division at Long, Long Trail.]</ref>

In March 1918, the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] launched an [[German spring offensive|all-out offensive]] in the Somme sector. Faced with the prospect of continued [[American Expeditionary Forces|American reinforcement]] (who had [[American entry into World War I|entered the war]] in April 1917) of the Allied armies, the Germans urgently sought a decisive victory on the Western Front.<ref>Robbins, Keith (2002), ''The First World War'', p. 73.</ref> On the morning of 21 March, the 16th Manchesters occupied positions in an area known as Manchester Hill, near to [[Saint-Quentin, Aisne|St. Quentin]]. A large German force attacked along the 16th's front, being repulsed in parts, but completely overwhelming the battalion elsewhere. Some positions lost were recaptured in counter-attacks by the 16th. Though encircled, the 16th continued to resist the assault, encouraged by its commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel [[Wilfrith Elstob]]. During the course of the battle, Elstob single-handedly repulsed a grenadier attack and made a number of journeys to replenish dwindling ammunition supplies. At one point, he sent a message to [[42nd Brigade (United Kingdom)|42nd Brigade]] HQ that "The Manchester Regiment will defend Manchester Hill to the last", to his men he had told them "Here we fight, and here we die". The 16th Manchesters effectively ceased to exist as a coherent body. Lieutenant-Colonel Elstob was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31395|date=6 June 1919 |page=7419}}</ref> An attempt to retake the hill was later made by the 17th Manchesters, now part of [[21st Brigade (United Kingdom)|21st Brigade]], with heavy losses. Two more Victoria Crosses were awarded to the regiment in the final months of the war. Also involved in the Spring Offensive were the 2/5th, 2/6th and 2/7th battalions, serving as part of [[199th (Manchester) Brigade|199th (2/1st Manchester) Brigade]], part of [[66th Division (United Kingdom)|66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division]], all battalions of the [[Territorial Force]].<ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/>

The later-prominent war poet, [[Wilfred Owen]] served with the 2nd Battalion, Manchesters in the later stages of the war. On 1 October 1918, Owen led units of it to storm a number of enemy strong points near the village of [[Joncourt]]. For his courage and leadership in the Joncourt action, he was awarded the [[Military Cross]], an award he had always sought in order to justify himself.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31183 |supp=y|page=2378|date=14 February 1919}}</ref> On 4 November 1918, Wilfred Owen was killed in action during the crossing of the [[Sambre–Oise Canal]], exactly one week (almost to the hour) before the signing of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]] and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant the day after his death.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Stallworthy|first1=Jon|title=Wilfred Owen: Poems selected by Jon Stallworthy|date=2004|publisher=Faber and Faber|location=London|isbn=0-571-20725-1|pages=vii-xix}}</ref>

===Middle East===
In September 1914, just before the [[Ottoman Empire]] entered the war on Germany's side, six of the regiment's battalions joined the Egypt garrison.<ref>Mileham (2000), p. 109.</ref> They belonged to the [[42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division|East Lancashire Division]] of the Territorial Force, which was selected to release [[Standing army|Regular Army]] troops for service in active theatres.<ref>Westlake, Ray & Chappell, Mike (1991), ''British Territorial Units 1914–18'', p. 20.</ref> Serving in the division were the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th battalions, with the latter two as part of the [[126th (East Lancashire) Brigade|East Lancashire Brigade]] (which also included two battalions, the 4th and 5th, of the [[East Lancashire Regiment]]) and the other four the [[127th (Manchester) Brigade|Manchester Brigade]]. In May 1915, the division was numbered as the [[42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division|42nd (East Lancashire) Division]] and the brigades were numbered, the Manchester Brigade becoming [[127th (Manchester) Brigade|127th (1/1st Manchester) Brigade]] and the East Lancashire Brigade the [[126th (East Lancashire) Brigade|126th (1/1st East Lancashire) Brigade]]. In the same month, the division [[Landing at Cape Helles|landed at Cape Helles]], [[Gallipoli]] to reinforce the British beachheads established during the [[Gallipoli Campaign|initial landings]] in April.<ref name="Gal"/>

The Manchesters disembarked at "V" and "W",<ref name="Gal">Mileham (2000), p. 111.</ref> where, in the April landings, there had been at least 2,000 casualties.<ref>Keegan, p. 265.</ref> The Manchester battalions took part in the [[Third Battle of Krithia]] on 4 June 1915. The 127th Brigade reached their first objective and advanced a further 1,000 yards, capturing 217 Ottomans in the process.<ref>Green, p. 106.</ref>

During the [[Battle of Krithia Vineyard]], the Manchesters suffered heavy losses and gained a Victoria Cross for gallantry by Lieutenant [[William Forshaw|Forshaw]] of the 1/9th Battalion. The evacuation of Cape Helles lasted from December 1915 to January 1916. The Manchester battalions suffered many casualties during the Dardnalles Campaign. At the [[Helles Memorial]], 1,215 names of the Manchesters alone fill the memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/helles_memorial.htm|title=Helles Memorial|publisher=Battlefields|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref>

The 1st Manchesters embarked for the [[Mesopotamian campaign]], accompanying the infantry element of the Indian Corps, from France in late 1915. The battalion took part in the [[Battle of Dujaila]] in March 1916, which was intended to relieve the British forces in [[Siege of Kut|Kut-al-Amara]], which was being besieged by [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] forces. In the battle, the 1st Manchesters seized the trenches of the Dujaila Redoubt with the [[59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)]]; however, they were subsequently displaced by an Ottoman counter-attack, being forced back to their starting lines. During the withdrawal, Private [[George Stringer|Stringer]] held his ground single-handedly, securing the flank of his battalion. He was awarded the Victoria Cross. British and Indian forces suffered 4,000 casualties. After five failed attempts to relieve the town, Kut surrendered to Ottoman forces on 29 April 1916. The 1st Manchesters would take part in further actions in Mesopotamia, but in March 1918 the battalion moved to [[Egypt]].<ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/>

The battalion then moved to Ottoman-controlled [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], still part of the 3rd (Lahore) Division, to take part in the campaign there against the Ottomans. They fought in the last major offensive there, at [[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Megiddo]], on 19 September. Within three hours the Turkish lines, held by the [[Turkish Eighth Army]], had been broken. Open warfare defined the theatre. During the Megiddo offensive, the cavalry advanced more than 70 miles in 36 hours. The 1st Manchesters took part in further engagements until the Armistice with the Ottoman Empire, remaining in the area until 1919.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europeana1914-1918.eu/en/europeana/record/15601/711E9928AEED2E7751F5FC1615FB861421C40701|title=Charles Hampson, Photograph of three graves|publisher=Europeana|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref>

===Home Front===
During a raid by German [[LZ 61 (L 21)|Zeppelin L 21]] on the night of 31 March - 1 April 1916, 31 soldiers of the 3rd Manchesters were killed when a bomb hit their billet at [[Cleethorpes]].<ref name=roots1>{{cite web|url=http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/WEST-RIDING/1999-05/0927581085 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818180107/https://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/WEST-RIDING/1999-05/0927581085 |archive-date=18 August 2016|first=Vernon|last=Cook|title=Zeppelin Disaster Casualty List - Cleethorpes Lincs 1916|publisher=RootsWeb Ancestry|work=WEST-RIDING-L Archives|year=1999}}</ref>{{efn|Another account attributes the raid to [[Zeppelin LZ 64]] and gives the casualties of the 3rd Manchesters as 29 killed and 53 wounded.<ref>Morris, pp. 71, 179.</ref>}}<ref name=IWM_WMR>{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/47711|title=3rd Battalion Manchester Regiment [fatalities] in the Cleethorpes Zeppelin Raid|publisher=[[Imperial War Museum#Databases|Imperial War Museum]]|work=War Memorials Register |access-date=16 September 2024}}</ref>

As the war continued the Manchesters organised a number of other battalions for service away from the front lines. In 1915 the Home Service men of the TF battalions of the Manchesters and the [[Lancashire Fusiliers]], were combined into 45th Provisional Battalion, which became 28th Manchesters on 1 January 1917. It served at home in [[73rd Division (United Kingdom)|73rd Division]] and was disbanded in 1918.<ref name = Frederick/><ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/><ref>Army Council Instructions, January 1916, Appendix 18.</ref><ref>Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 111–6.</ref> A 29th Battalion was formed in June 1918, but within days was absorbed into 16th (1st City) Bn. The 1st Garrison Battalion served in India, and the 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn at home. In addition, three training battalions were organised in 1917 for progressive training of recruits: 51st (Graduated), 52nd (Graduated) and 53rd (Young Soldier) Bns.<ref name = Frederick/><ref name = James/><ref name = Trail/> One of the last surviving First World War veterans, [[Netherwood Hughes]], served in the 51st Battalion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3491093/New-First-World-War-veteran-comes-to-light-through-internet.html|title='New' First World War veteran comes to light through internet |last=Bingham|first=John|date=2008-11-20|work=Telegraph Online|access-date=2008-11-25}}</ref> Ned Hughes died 4 April 2009 aged 108.<ref>[http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/community/obituaries/s/1107727_ww1_veteran_dies_aged_108 Report on Ned Hughes' death] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415142024/http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/community/obituaries/s/1107727_ww1_veteran_dies_aged_108 |date=15 April 2009 }}</ref>