Editing Manchester Regiment (section)

===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>