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The East Lancashire Regiment
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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar greatThe East Lancashire Regiment
The East Lancashire Regiment was raised in 1855.
Battalions during the Great War.
- 1st Battalion
- 2nd Battalion
- 3rd (Reserve) Battalion
- 4th Battalion
- 2/4th Battalion
- 3/4th Battalion
- 5th Battalion
- 2/5th Battalion
- 3/5th Battalion
- 6th (Service) Battalion
- 7th (Service) Battalion
- 8th (Service) Battalion
- 9th (Service) Battalion
- 10th (Reserve) Battalion
- 11th (Service) Battalion The Accrington Pals
- 12th (Reserve) Battalion
- 13th (Service) Battalion
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Dec 2011
Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site.
Those known to have served with The East Lancashire Regiment during the Great War.
Select a story link or scroll down to browse those stories hosted on this site.
- Sjt. Ernest Horatio Clegg
- Cpl. Charles Duckworth Read their Story.
- James Frederic Dyer Read their Story.
- L/Cpl. Frank Fell
- Pte. Joseph Firth (d.22nd April 1917) Read their Story.
- Sgt Frederick Helm DCM. (d.8th Apr 1915)
- Cpl. John Hindle (d.1st July 1916) Read their Story.
- Pte. William Mozley MM. Read their Story.
- Pte. John O'Hara (d.25th Feb 1918) Read their Story.
- CSM. George Page (d.1st Jul 1916) Read their Story.
- Pte. William Thomas Royle (d.23 March 1918) Read their Story.
- Pte. Thomas Taylor
- L/Cpl. H. R. Townshend (d.9th Jun 1917)
- Pte. Arthur Turner (d.29th Nov 1915) Read their Story.
- Pte. Edward "Ned" Tyson Read their Story.
- Pte. Albert Weeden Read their Story.
- Pte. John George Weeden Read their Story.
- Pte. James Edward Wood (d.14th Oct 1916) Read their Story.
If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch.
Pte. Edward "Ned" Tyson 6th (Service) Btn. East Lancashire Rgt.
Grandad was severely wounded at Gallipoli, where the 6th were fighting. He came from a large Liverpool family who moved to Darwen around 1891. He moved to the Isle of Man in 1930 for health reasons and died in 1967 after a successful business career.
James Frederic Dyer 1st Battalion East Lancashire Resiment
I have a silver mug inscribed: "To My Dear Son Bt. Major James Frederic Dyer 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment in loving recognition of Duties well fulfilled in the Great War 1914-1919 from Mother July 8th 1919"He was my grandfather
Pte. William Thomas Royle 4th Btn. (d.23 March 1918)
William Thomas Royle was born in Rochdale in 1891. In 1911 he married Mary Ann Hall from Blackburn. Billy and Polly, as they were known, settled in Blackburn and had three daughters Elizabeth (Betty), Jane (Jenny) and Sarah (Sally).When the First World War broke out, Billy was working as a painter's labourer. As family members, friends and colleagues signed up as volunteers Billy said he was not going to fight until he had to because he had a wife and three children to care for.
One day, opening his lunch box at work, Billy found a white feather. White feathers were given to men, mostly by women, as a sign of their cowardice in not joining up. Originally given by society women to their better off boyfriends when they wanted to get rid of them, the practise was adopted around the country by other classes. Some men actually started wearing badges stating that they were in reserved occupations to avoid being presented with the white feather. On his way home from work that day Billy went to Canterbury St Barracks in Blackburn, signed up and went home to announce what he had done.
Billy was a member of the 4th Battalion East Lancs Regiment. In early 1918 he came home on leave. When he had left home to return to Barracks at Colchester, Polly noticed he had left his dogtag on the windowsill. Bill's brother in law, who was returning to Colchester the next day said he would take it with him. When he arrived in Colchester, Billy had gone, posted overseas.
On March 23rd 1918, in the early hours of the morning, the 4th Battalion East Lancs Regiment was in the trenches of the Somme, waiting for the order to go over the top. Billy, as lookout was one of the first to go. Billy was killed as he went on the offensive, his body was never identified and he remains missing to this day. Billy is commemorated on the memorial to the missing at Pozieres in Northern France
At the end of the war, when the soldiers returned to parade through Blackburn, Polly went along with her mother Sarah. She saw a soldier, who from behind she thought was her Billy. He was Walter Peace and Polly later married him
His story was told to me by his daughter Jane, who was my grandma, and by my great-gran Polly.
Pte. Arthur Turner 6th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.29th Nov 1915)
Arthur Turner was my Grandfather, I always knew that he died in the Great War, but like most people, questions are never asked from those who have now died, and would have provided lots of information if I had only taken the time to ask when they were still with us. Take his wife, Margaret, my grand-mother who died just 3 weeks before her 100th birthday. I always knew that my grandfather had medals, and it is these that I have now been given from a member of the family who found them at the back of a drawer and this is how I got hold of his service number.What I would really like to know, if anyone can help, is if there are any photo's in some archives,of the 6th Battalion regiment, because my grandfather just might be one of them.
Cpl. John Hindle 11th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.1st July 1916)
John Hindle was my paternal grandfather's brother and I can't remember there being any stories except that he died in WWI. I found the details on checking UK, Soldiers who had died in the Great War. I would like to find out more and am continuing to 'dig'.
Pte. John O'Hara 2nd Btn. East Lancashire Regiment (d.25th Feb 1918)
I joined the army myself in 1985 and did a full career leaving summer last year. In my last year of service I decided to research my family tree. I had not been told of any ancestors or relations other than myself who had served in the army. I read about the Battle of the Somme and saw in the orbit how many Infantry Battalions from the North West served in that Battle, a massive amount of soldiers and wondered why male members from my family had escaled serving in the war. Research of my family tree revealed that I did indeed have a relative:My great grandfather John O'Hara who had not only served in the army like but shared the same birthday. He died in WW1 in Belgium. I find it amazing that nobody in my family had told me about this especially since I had made the Army my career as well. But, I put it down largely to the attitude of the time of 'shutting up and putting up' with it and the desire to just get on with life after such tragic events. All the time I used to travel home on leave from Germany through Belgium and I never knew I had a relative buried there.
This weekend I have been over to Belgium to visit my Great Grandfather's grave in the War cemetery at Poelcapelle. We took over a wreath formed in the shape of a cross with Lancashire red roses, bought from a florist in Oswaldtwistle where he used to live and where his name is engraved on the cenotaph.
It was a proud moment to place the wreath on his grave and be the only one from my family who has paid him the respect he deserves. I am immensely proud of his sacrifice and to be associated with him.
Pte. James Edward Wood 7th Service Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.14th Oct 1916)
I know so little about my Grandad James Wood. My father, a WW2 veteran said Grandad had been killed on the Somme in 1916 when all his children were very young. I have seen his name at Thiepval and each time I visit I find it very moving. I will in time, I hope find out more.
Cpl. Charles Duckworth 3rd Btn. East Lancashire Regiment
I am researching my grandfather's army details. If any one has any information about his service between 1914 when he enlisted aged 40 and when he was pensioned out in 1919 suffering from malaria, I would like to hear from you.
CSM. George Page 1st Battalion East Lancashire (d.1st Jul 1916)
My Grandfather Company Sergeant Major George Page 9261 was killed on the 1st July 1916 at Redan Ridge nr Beaumont Hamel the first day of the battle of the Somme. He joined the 1st Battalion East Lancashire Reg in 1907 and served 5 years, He was called back to the battalion on the 22nd of August 1914 on the outbreak of the Great War and sent to France and was in action on the 26th August.He saw action in the Battles of the Marne; the Ainse and the retreat from Mons. He was wounded on the 15th February 1915 at Pleogsteert Wood, Belguim and spent 5 months in hospital recovering from shrapnel wounds to the head. He rejoined the Battalion in September and was in the Beaumont Hamel area when he was killed.
He was married to Edith and they had four children George, Mary, Cecil, and Charlie. His name is engraved on the Theipval Memorial as he was never found.
Pte. John George Weeden East Lancashire Regiment
John George Weeden was born 29-01-1889 and died in 1975. He joined the East Lancashire Regiment on 10-04-1907 at New Cross, London signing on for seven years as a regular and 5 years as a reserve. On 27-07-1914, a few days before WWI commenced he was serving as a reserve in South Africa. On 05-11-1914 he landed in France and was described as an honest, hard working soldier and a good horseman. On 09-04-1919 he was discharged and awarded the "1914-1915 Star with clasp" "British war Medal 1915-1920" and the "Victory Medal".John's brothers who also served in the East Lancashire Regiment during WWI :- Thomas b.1886 served between 1914 and 1920 with the service number of 10029 and Albert b.1894 served between before 1914 to 1920 with the service number of 6210
Pte. Albert Weeden East Lancashire Regiment
Albert Weeden's war records, like many others were were destroyed by enemy action during WWII. He is known to have joined the East Lancashire Regiment and believed did so long before the commencement of WWI. This is based on him receiving service number 6210 and his brother, John b.1889, received the service number 9310 on joining the same regiment on 29-01-1907. A third brother also joined the regiment, he was Thomas b.1886, who received service number 10029.Albert was not allowed to speak of his service due to a domineering wife but it is known he served at the Somme and in Poona, India. Sometime during his service he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and received a service number 176623.
He was awarded the "1914-1915 Star" "British War Medal 1915-1920" and the "Victory Medal". All three bear his name, his 6210 service number and the name East Lancashire Regiment. His medal role shows the word "Disembodied 24-04-1919" but his Machine Gun Corps service sheet states "Discharged SR 14-08-1920". Does SR mean special reserve ? I could not find out what happened between 24-04-1919 and 14-08-1920.
Have photographs of the man, one is where he is "dressed up" and was wearing a kilt. Another shows him in "whites" with a Naval badge of rank on his arm. First thoughts were of "dressing up" again but the uniform appears to be a perfect fit and as he was a very small man I think it doubtful he would have found another "loaned" uniform to fit.
Pte. William Mozley MM. East Lancashire Regiment
My grandfather, William Mozley was born in Slough. He served in the East Lancashire Regiment in France, attached to the Medical Corps. I believe he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry for going into No Mans Land to drag injured soldiers back to trenches. I am interested in searching for his complete war history.
Pte. Joseph Firth 8th Bn East Lancashire Regiment (d.22nd April 1917)
Joseph Firth is my paternal mother's brother, my great uncle born in Bacup, Lancashire in 1898. I know very little about him other than that he enlisted without his mother's knowledge and he died in WW1. His elder brother, William Roberts, re-enlisted to search for him and prior to his departure to Salonika he absconded and was missing for more than 21 days when he was declared a deserter. He had previously earned the 1914 Star which was rescinded because of this situation.I have visited the National Archives in Kew and obtained a copy of the War Diary for the 8th Btn of his unit in the month that he died.
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