7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment

   The 7th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment was raised at Preston in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 56th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. They trained at Tidworth and moved into billets in Andover in December 1914 for the winter. In February 1915 they moved to Clevedon and then to Perham Down in late March for final training. They proceeded to France on the 18th of July 1915, the divsion concentrating near St Omer. Their first action was at Pietre, in a diversionary action supporting the Battle of Loos. In 1916 They were in action during the Battle of the Somme, capturing La Boisselle and being involved in The attacks on High Wood, The Battles of Pozieres Ridge, the Ancre Heights and the Ancre. In 1917 they were in action in The Battle of Messines and the Third Battles of Ypres. The 7th East Lancashires were disbanded in France on the 22nd of February 1918 when the army was reorganised.

Jul 1915 Training Instruction

Jul 1915 Billets

12th of September 1915 Preparing to Move

16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme

1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets

11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment

10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens

9th February 1916 Call Ups

20th Feb 1916 Instruction

21st Feb 1916 Instruction

22nd Feb 1916 Instruction

24th Feb 1916 Instruction

26th Feb 1916 Instruction

27th Feb 1916 Instruction

28th Feb 1916 Instruction

2nd Apr 1917 Heavy Snow

1st Oct 1916 Orders

2nd Oct 1916 Brigades Training

3rd Oct 1916 Reliefs

4th Oct 1916 On the Move

6th Oct 1916 Orders

7th Oct 1916 Reliefs

8th Oct 1916 Orders Issued

12th Oct 1916 Shelling

14th Oct 1916 Orders

15th Oct 1916 Orders

1st Dec 1916 Training

2nd Dec 1916 Training

18th Dec 1916 Inspections

20th Dec 1916 Inspections

21st Dec 1916 Sports Medals

22nd Dec 1916 Company Training

31st Dec 1916 Training

31st Jan 1917 Gifts

1st Apr 1917 Artillery Registration

3rd Apr 1917 Blizzard

4th Apr 1917 Artillery Active

5th Apr 1917 Some Shelling

6th Apr 1917 Artilery in Support

7th Apr 1917 Shelling

8th Apr 1917 Artillery Registration

9th Apr 1917 Hail Stones

29th of May 1917 Heavy Shelling

7th Jun 1917 The Battle of Messines  A letter from Captain Horace Lance Flint, Medical Officer for 7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, written to his wife from a captured German dressing station describing the opening stages of the Battle of Messines Ridge, which began on 7th June 1917 with the explosion of 19 mines and a huge, accurate artillery bombardment.
"I want to give you some idea of the first big "push" that I have taken any active part in. I see that it is described as "Haig’s Earthquake or Hurricane Attack".
"My division was in the front line of the attack, and we marched into the trenches on the evening of June 6th. Major _____, the second in command, spoke a few words to each company before it moved off, and wished them the best of luck, then the chaplain said a prayer, after which all the men joined in the Lord’s Prayer. It was very impressive, and one could not help wondering how many of those brave fellows would ever come back and imagining what most of them must be thinking of. Probably it was of home and of those they loved, for there was a certain quiet solemnity about our departure. I marched at the end of the battalion. It was quite dark when we entered the trenches, and each company took up its allotted position. We had taken about 1½ hours in reaching the trenches, and had lost only two men killed and one wounded, these casualties being due to the explosion of one of our own bombs as it was carried up.
"I went to the headquarters’ dug-out of my battalion. We sat on the floor of the dug-out, but none of us could sleep. This was in the new reserve trenches. At about 3 a.m. the dug-out and the whole earth was violently shaken. The mine in Hill 60 had exploded. Two mines in our own front went off, and our artillery opened fire. The bombardment was 20 per cent heavier than on any previous occasion. A modern battle is the most appalling thing you can attempt to imagine and it is quite impossible to describe the awful shrieking of shell and rattle of machine guns. It was one continuous roar, and the whole air must have been filled with a shield of iron.
"Dawn was just breaking as I look out, and I could see only about 50 yards ahead because of the smoke and dust. Our artillery was magnificent, and had the whole situation well in hand from beginning to end. After the first short bombardment they lifted the barrage slowly forward, and our men keen and impatient, went over the top, some going even too quickly and being hit by our own shells. Our casualties, fortunately, were few at this time, and those we had were chiefly caused by the men’s excessive eagerness, and a few were due to some of our shells bursting prematurely.
"Our artillery was so splendid that very few of the German guns were able to shoot, because some of our own guns were specially took off for counter battery work, i.e., to fire on the position of the German guns. I had to wait until the men had advanced about 600 yards, before I went over with the medical officer of the battalion working in conjunction with ours to establish a medical aid post, our orderlies and some of the stretcher-bearers going with us to carry our equipment. We advanced under a deafening noise of guns and alarming shriek of shells, but these were soon forgotten in the excitement and amazement of our surroundings. The ground was one mass of shell holes, you could not put your foot down except on the rim of one hole or another; it was like walking on an empty honeycomb. I never imagined that such a picture of destruction and desolation could exist, the German trenches having totally disappeared.
"The Huns retreated as fast as possible, and put up no fight at all, and very soon prisoners began to come in. It was quite impossible for any human being to face such artillery fire, and their only course was to run away. I saw a few of our tanks ahead, but I heard afterwards from a man who had been in one of them that they had no chance of doing anything because the enemy retreated faster than they could attack.
"My object was to find shelter for an aid post, but this was very difficult, and it was a long time before I hit upon a dug-out. Then I found one with concrete walls 3 ft. 6in. thick, which had been used as a power-house for generating electricity for lighting the other dug-outs, most of which had disappeared, and it contained an engine and a considerable sized dynamo and switch board. Unfortunately, it was impossible to get the wounded down into the dug-out, so we dressed them all out in the open, and then stretcher-bearers carried them back.
"In view of what really occurred during this attack on what is supposed to be the strongest German position in the West, it is most amusing but utterly ludicrous to read the accounts in the German papers. They say that the British attack was repulsed with heavy loss, and that we were unable to advance any further. As a matter of fact, everything went like clockwork, and the programme was completely fulfilled. On our little bit of front we could have advanced much further than was allowed by our orders, we could, in fact, have gone right through, but it would have made a big salient, and caused disaster later on. Few people at home realise that in modern warfare everything is worked out to the smallest detail beforehand. An advance is planned to time, and there is an exact time at which each company or battalion has to take up a particular position. Should it reach such a position too soon, then it must wait and advance no further beyond that spot until the pre-arranged time for the next bit of advance. Warfare with our present masses of artillery is a very exact science, and so before any advance all enemy positions must be photographed, and their exact locality marked on maps. People should realise that after we have gained the objects of an attack our artillery must move forward and get the range of all further enemy positions, and these positions must first be ascertained by captured enemy trench maps, or by photographs taken by our aeroplanes. This is of course a long business in itself, and it is for this reason that progress on the Western front is slow, and that the war may last a long time should the Hun choose to fight it out to a finish. It is, however, only a matter of time and perseverance, with our masses of artillery. For given time and the necessary preparation of plans beforehand, nothing can stand and face our artillery. It is magnificent. It is amazing that the guns could advance so quickly over the shell-riddled ground, and that by the evening it was so well up that we forestalled an expected counter-attack from the Bosche, and he received instead from us an artillery barrage nearly as intense as the one in the beginning of the day.
"About mid-day, I had to move forward to keep in touch with our wounded, and I found, after a night's search, another aid post. This was in a wood about 2½ miles in advance of our old front line. It was the former German dressing station, and consisted of a very fine 2 ft. concrete-walled dug-out, and here we captured a quantity of medical stores, two German doctors, and 30 Red Cross orderlies. It is from that dug-out that I have written all this, while the Huns are shelling us heavily. Nothing, fortunately, can penetrate the walls of this dug-out, the only danger being that a chance shell may come in at the door, which, of course, faces the German guns, as it was built as a protection against British fire. The Hun makes much more substantial du-outs than we. One of those in the wood here is almost a concrete palace and is fitted with electric light, water laid on, passage looking on the various rooms and comfortable furniture in the rooms.
"We have now been at this business for eight days and have not had our boots off nor our clothes and we dare not even discard the anti-gas box respirators, which hand on our chests from the neck. The atmosphere is decidedly foggy considering the small space, and the incessant smoking, and sleep is practically impossible, as there are four me, i.e., my servant, two orderlies and myself, and there is no room for anyone to stretch his legs. We are, however, very lucky not to be obliged not to spend our time in a shell hole. The men in our division are very tired, and I hope they will soon be relieved. It is rather hard luck on them to have been kept here so long. It was owing to our having done so well and suffered so few casualties that we were not relieved. The division which was to replace us on the second day after our objective was gained has been sent elsewhere instead. The men are under a great strain. The first period of waiting before going into the trenches for an attack is trying to the nerves, and the period of waiting to go into the trenches before going over the top is worst still, and then, even after the attack has been made and the object gained, there is the greatest strain of all in holding the line against counter-attacks. Now that we have gained the ridge, we are holding out against very heavy shell fire from the Germans, and must always be prepared for counter-attacks. The Tommy is a great hero, few people at home realising in the least what he has to put up with through these advances and after them, when he is in the front line. The last two weeks seem like years.
"I was up all last night dressing cases, some of them being very agonising to see. The sight of it all make one sick of the brutality of man to his fellow man; almost sick of life itself, and leaves a feeling of utter misery and loneliness. If only it were possible to live and let live and enjoy life in peace and love for our fellows. I do not know how our men have endured what they have gone through since June 7th, and especially the shelling yesterday. My experience of it has been when I have been out to attend to wounded in the open, that it must be awful to be in the open for long. Fortunately our total casualties have been comparatively small, but we have had as many in holding the ridge against counter-attacks as we had in the whole of the advance.
"I cannot see any end to the war at present, but I suppose there is a limit to the Hun’s endurance, and he must be getting very tired of the war, to judge by what he had to endure here. I expect the poor blighter will be glad to chuck it when this sort of thing happens all along the line.
"No one can appreciate what the British army has accomplished in three years of war, until he sees the things we are now looking at, absolute and complete destruction, and desolation; the whole ground is a mass of shell holes, and yet already roads are beginning to appear, tramways and water pipes are being laid down, artillery pushed up, and hundreds of miles carrying up ammunition and rations. More than ever do I fail to see what the German has to gain by prolonging the war. I am certain he will never beat our armies. One has only to look at the ground here on what was the German side ten days ago and see the devastating effect of our guns, and compare the number of shell holes on his side to those of ours, to be convinced of the terrible things he has to endure, and that we cannot fail to beat him in the end."

7th Jun 1917 Tanks in Action

15th Jun 1917 Magnificent Artillery

12th of January 1918 On the March

17th of February 1918 Church Parade

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Those known to have served with
7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Adams Bertie James. Pte. (d.14th Nov 1916)
Cole William Norman. 2Lt. (d.5th Feb 1917)
Edmondson Harold. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
Fielding William Thomas. Pte. (d.19th Oct 1916)
Flint Horace Lance. Capt.
Green Jesse. Pte.
Holmes William. L/Cpl. (d.14th Nov 1916)
Horn Arthur Henry Frederick. Pte.
Kemsley Alfred. Pte. (d.11th July 1916)
Laverick Frederick Gordon. 2nd.Lt. (d.23rd July 1917)
Maughan Peter. Pte. (d.12th August 1918)
Maund William Henry. Pte (d.14th June 1917)
Nichols Owen. Pte. (d.25th Oct 1916)
Redding MID. John Wills. 2Lt. (d.24th Apr 1918)
Richardson Joseph. CSM. (d.8th July 1916)
Riley MM. William. L/Cpl. (d.21st Dec 1917)
Sagar Frank. L/Cpl. (d.17th October 1916)
Taylor Sidney. Sgt.
Townshend H. R.. L/Cpl. (d.9th Jun 1917)
Valentine Ralph. Pte. (d.25th July 1916)
Welch William George. Pte. (d.21st Mar 1918)
Whitter Charles Ernest. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
Wood James Edward. Pte. (d.14th Oct 1916)
Wood James Edward. Pte. (d.14th Oct 1916)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

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CSM. Joseph Richardson 7th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment (d.8th July 1916)

Joseph Richardson died of wounds on the 8th of July 1916, aged 33 and is buried in Plot 1. B. 53 in the Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension in France. He was the husband of Mrs Richardson, 9, Cedar Street, Burnley
s flynn

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L/Cpl. William Riley MM. 7th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment (d.21st Dec 1917)

William Riley was my Great Uncle. He and his three brothers and a brother-in-law who served with the British Army in the Great War. I knew little about him beyond basic information until researching my ancestry beginning about 20 years ago. I descend from the oldest brother who immigrated in 1907. So those who knew William that I would have had access to, died many years ago. I recently found a clipping from the Burnley Express about him and that filled in much of the information that I know.
William joined the East Lancashire Regiment in Sept 1914. After training at Tidworth went to France in July 1915. He died on 21st of December 1917. Just days earlier, according to the article, "distinguished himself on the field, for which he has been awarded the Military Medal, but died without knowledge of his achievement. Lance-Corporal Riley was 36 years of age and a widower with two children." In a letter to his sister, my Great Aunt Annorah Abbott, a soldier who knew him said "He was sniped whilst at the head of a sap, and died two minutes after he was hit." He went on to say that William was well-liked and had proved to be a reliable NCO.
Prior to the war Uncle Bill was a coal miner at Towneley Pit along with most of his family. My other uncles included Sapper Thomas Riley, who was also awarded the Military Medal on 1st of July 1916, the same day that brother-in-law Nathan Abbott died at the Somme. Youngest brother Private Patrick Riley was at the time a member of the R.A.M.C. serving at Salonika.
John Riley

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2Lt. John Wills Redding MID. 7th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.24th Apr 1918)

John Redding was the second son of Joseph James Redding (1862-1932) and Sarah Elizabeth Jones (1857-1908). He and his four brothers Joseph Ernest Redding (1888-1961), Lawrence Henry Redding (1890-1919), Harold Stanley Redding (1892-1970) and Donald Llewellyn Redding (1898-1969) all fought in the Great War.
John enlisted in 1915 from Australia where he and his brother had emigrated to in 1912. He was a Second Lieutenant in the Honourable Artillery Company and transferred to 7th BattalionEast Lancashire Regiment. He was killed in action on 24th of April 1918 and is buried at Camon in France. He was Mentioned in Despatches.
Diane Sharp

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Pte. Charles Ernest Whitter 7th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.7th June 1917)

Charles Whitter was born in Manchester in 1886. He died in the Battle of Mssines and is remembered on the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium. Leaving wife and 1 year old Daughter.

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Sgt. Sidney Taylor 7th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment

This is a letter from Sidney Taylor aged 27 to his niece Hilda who lived with her grandparents (Sid's parents) in Oldham. Hilda's parents were in Russia, her father a manager of a cotton mill, part of an expat community.
Sjt S Taylor. No 36656
7th East Lancashire Regt
30th I. B. D.

Wednesday 31/1/1917
A.P.O. S 17 B. E. F. France

My dear Hilda,
Ever so many thanks for your long interesting and welcome letter to hand this morning. It seems to have taken it a long time to get here. You see I got the second parcel before the other. That came to hand yesterday afternoon and the first parcel I got on Sunday. Thanks so much for the chocolate and the chocolate in Lily,s box (which you put in) and the P. It really is so nice and thoughtful of you and Amy to keep sending me these things of course you know I really appreciate them and I'm afraid I cannot repay you much from here for all your kindness but we'll have a jolly good time when I get back to dear Old Blighty won't we?
You say you expect I should be tired of reading your long letter before I got to the end of it but your letter was most welcome, amusing and interesting, I could have read another eight pages with enjoyment. I can just picture Amy relating the story of the Scotch soldier I'm sure she would have a shock its a wonder she isn't cross eyed with that. It reminds me of the cheap jokes you bought once at a Christmas Party (St James) they too had some reference to stomachs but it was inside that time and not out eh? Trust the same old Amy.
You say your father has been contributing to the Petrograd collection for Christmas Puddings for Tommies in France. Well Hilda we had Christmas puddings on Christmas Day, so perhaps those which were sent were some of the ones which your daddy has helped to pay for.
I'm glad all your teeth fillings are completed now and Iï¿½ll bet you 'are glad also its an awfully "nice" procedure I know especially when there is any gold work to be done. I should like to see what sort of work Barlow has made of it. I suppose they are very nice - I should like to see them.
I'm sorry you had such a cold and I guess Woodhead's negligence wouldn't improve matters. I can quite imagine the reception he would receive when Grandma got on the trail.
I'm sure your father and mother will be so glad to hear about your 'being confirmed. Yes Hilda I too hope I shall be home for that time. So you didn't hang your stocking up at Christmas but had all your presents beforehand. You seem to have done pretty well. I didn't hang mine up either Hilda. I had to depend upon the postman for my Santa Clause. I bet you had a good time at the Conservative Club Party. Do you ......... for you to bring you home? Well I hope I'll be in Blighty next year to do the 'same eh?
Well! it is ever so much warmer today. It was snowing here yesterday but it was the dry stuff like you had in Russia and not at all inconveniencing. Sent a card yesterday to Grandma for her birthday and also a small parcel (neg interest) so you must look out for them. Thank them all for contents of both parcels please. I will write to Annie perhaps tomorrow. Tell Grandma I also recd her letter & 10/- note with yours this morning.
So Noel called for my address eh? Did he know I had left England? I have often wondered about him but have not written to anyone at Dr. Marsden's for about six months so I guess Ernest Barlow (dentist) would tell them. Well Hilda I don't think I have much more today I shall be glad to hear from you have time.
I remain
your loving Uncle
Sidney
Catherine May

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Pte. Arthur Henry Frederick Horn 7th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment

My Great Grandfather was called Arthur Horn. He was born in Bedford, Bedfordshire in 1892 and moved to Colne, Lancashire as a child around 1899. He enlisted on 11th of December 1915 and served through to 1st of October 1917 before being classed unfit for service. I have a few pictures of him and on the reverse of one it says he was wounded on 10th of October 1916 and 14th of January 1917. On his medal records it says he was in the 7th East Lancashire Regiment. His discharge shows Para 392 XV1 Sickness. Para 1.A.O.11d. Does anyone know what Para 1.A.O.11d stands for? He convalesced at a Home called Glavenside, Letheringsett, near Holt in Norfolk.
Dave Horn

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2nd.Lt. Frederick Gordon Laverick 7th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment (d.23rd July 1917)

Second Lieutenant Frederick Laverick served with 7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment.
Caroline Hunt

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L/Cpl. Frank Sagar 7th Btn. B Coy. East Lancashire Regiment (d.17th October 1916)

Frank Sagar is my Great Uncle Frank, he died of wounds on 17th of October 1916. Age 21. Will not forget.
Iain Macmilllan

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Pte. Jesse Green 11th (Accrington Pals) Btn. B Coy. East Lancashire Regiment

Jesse Green was an original Accrington Pal enlisting in Sept 1914, aged 16. He is listed in the Accrington Observer on 23rd Feb 1915 as serving in B Coy.
After training he went to guard the Suez Canal on the 25th Dec. 1915, then to France on the 2nd March 1916. Jesse was promoted to Sergeant on the battlefield but this is not recognised by the MOD.
Jesse went over the top at the Somme on the 1st of July 1916. He was wounded in the left thigh and the bullet exited his lower left calf. The wound was Class 1x1. The date for admission of ailment was 4th July 1916 and he was transferred for a sick convoy on 4th July 1916 on the good ship Panama. On recovery he was posted to the 7th Btn. and later to the 2nd Btn. At some time Jesse was gassed and was possibly taken prisoner. Jesse received payment in German Marks whilst a POW.
Mark Green

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Pte. Harold Edmondson 7th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment (d.7th June 1917)

Harold Edmondson was my mother's half brother. Prior to serving in Flanders he had already served in Palestine, according to the newspaper report of his death at the age of 21.
I have been told by a guide at the 'In Flanders Field Museum' in Ypres, that he and many comrades were killed when the mines which they had been laying, exploded early. All the comrades are buried in Croonaert Chapel Cemetery.
Linda Henderson

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Pte. Alfred Kemsley 7th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.11th July 1916)

Alfred Kemsley joined the East Lancashire Regiment at the beginning of the war. He went to France on 18th July 1915. He fought in the battle of the Somme in July 1916 and died of wounds on the 11th of July. He lies in Etaples Military Cemetery.
Cynthia McVey

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Pte. William George Welch 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.21st Mar 1918)

As a young girl, I heard the sad stories from my elderly grandmother (Doris) of how her father William Welch had died "at the front" in Flanders in 1918. She had been 15. They did not know exactly where he fell and never visited France. The effect on her as an only child and my great grandmother Minnie, was devastating and he was profoundly missed throughout their lives. I was delighted that my young son, Ben, through a school trip in 2013 was, thanks to the war graves commission, able to locate and visit William's grave at Grevillers British cemetery and to place some red roses there on behalf of the family. Prior to transferring to the 1st battalion, William had been posted from the 7th Bn East Lancs on 6th of February 1918 following a restructure. He died of gun shot wounds in number 3 casualty clearing station at Grevillers. RIP.

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L/Cpl. William Holmes 7th Btn. South Lancs Regiment (Prince of Wales Volunteers) (d.14th Nov 1916)

William Holmes was my great uncle and had previously served in the Boer War. He signed his attestation papers on 29th November 1915 in Hoylake, but was judged to be a class "B" soldier (due to suffering from haemorrhoids and bad teeth) and posted to the reserves on the same day.
He was recalled to the colours on 14th June 1916 and his physical condition was recorded as being "good". In France, William was promoted to L/Corporal on 14th October 1916. He was reported as wounded and missing in action on the 14th November 1916. Sarah, William's wife, was notified officially on the 16th November 1917 that he had been killed in action a year earlier. William left a wife and seven children, a baby being born five days after his death.
Andy Holmes

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Pte. Owen Nichols 7th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment (d.25th Oct 1916)

Owen Nichols was the husband of Sarah Jane Nichols. He most likely died fighting the Battle of the Ancre Heights, he was aged 40. He is buried in Grandcourt Road Cemetery, Grandcourt, Somme, France.
Gary Nichols

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Pte. William Thomas Fielding 7th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.19th Oct 1916)

William Fielding was quite old for a serving private during the Great War (40 plus). He was wounded on May 28th 1916. He returned to service not long afterwards only to be mortally wounded and died on 19th of October 1916, we think in a Boulogne hospital. He is buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. We assume that he was wounded during the Somme Offensive. We found a report in The Accrington Observer. We also know that he trained on Cannock Chase which coincidentally turned out to be a stone's throw from the home of his grandaughter and great-grandchildren. We have his medals and a couple of photographs. We would like to know more about him and his family.
John Barratt

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Pte. James Edward Wood 7th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (d.14th Oct 1916)

My Paternal Grandfather, James Wood, I believe joined up at Preston, Lancs. I have no photo of him and only know what my Father told me about him. I was surprised to learn that he was based at Perham Down before going to France, a place I lived in a few years ago. I have visited Thiepval on the Somme several times to pay my respects, as he is named on the memorial as one of the missing.
Clifford Wood

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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.
Clifford Wood

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7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment
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7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment

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- 7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
7th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment
during the Great War 1914-1918.