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- 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment



   At the outbreak of war in August 1914 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment were in Jullundur, India serving with the 8th (Jullundur) Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division. They embarked with the Division from India on 29th of August 1914 as part of the Indian Corps and landed at Marseilles, France on 26th of September 1914. They served on the Western Front the 10th of December 1915, when they proceeded to Mesopotamia, landing at Basra on 8th of January 1916. They moved to Egypt in March 1918 to become part of the 8th Indian Brigade of 3rd Indian Division. and later moved to Palestine. At the time of the Turkish Armistice on 30th of October 1918 the 1st Battalion was situated at Jaljulye, Palestine, north east of Jaffa.

24th Aug 1914 In Action

26th Aug 1914 In Action

22nd Oct 1914 Attack Made

25th of October 1914 More Attacks  location map

26th Oct 1914 Reliefs

26th of October 1914 Germans Repulsed  location map

28th of October 1914 Counter Attack Falters   location map

29th Oct 1914 In Action  location map

29th of October 1914  Determined German Attack  location map

30th Oct 1914 In Action  location map

27th Nov 1914 In Action

24th Dec 1914 Shelling  location map

27th Jul 1915 The Sniper at Work

16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme

1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets

11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment

8th Jan 1916 On the Move

10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens

19th Jan 1916 Orders

20th Jan 1916 Heavy Bombardment

21st Jan 1916 Attack Made

22nd Jan 1916 Wounded Collected

9th February 1916 Call Ups

7th Mar 1916 In Action

8th Mar 1916 Hard Fighting

8th Mar 1916 Award

15th Nov 1916 Attack Made

16th Nov 1916 Reliefs

9th Jan 1917 Counter Attacks

10th Jan 1917 Steady Progress

11th Jan 1917 Assault Fails

13th Jan 1917 Progress Made

14th Jan 1917 Aircraft shot down

15th Jan 1917 Air Raid

16th Jan 1917 Slight Advance

17th Jan 1917 Hard Fighting

18th Jan 1917 Heavy Bombardment

18th Jan 1917 Ground Gained

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment?


There are:5268 items tagged 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Bishop Arthur. Pte. (d.8th Mar 1916)
  • Boyd Herbert. Pte.
  • Bridge James. Sgt. (d.4th Jun 1915)
  • Brooks Ernest Godfrey. A/Cpl. (d.11th Jan 1917)
  • Bunn Charles. (d.8th Mar 1916)
  • Burrows Albert John. L/Cpl. (d.18th April 1916)
  • Burton Daniel . Pte. (d.8th March 1916)
  • Ford Benjamin A. Pte. (d.8th March 1916)
  • Gow George. Pte. (d.30th May 1916)
  • Grady John. Sgt. (d.9th January 1917)
  • Haigh Harry Kershaw. Sgt.
  • Houghton Joseph Edward. Sgt. (d.9th Jan 1917)
  • Jones Robert. Pte. (d.16th May 1917)
  • Martindale Herbert. Pay Sjt.
  • O'Connor James Herbert. Pte. (d.6th Nov 1918)
  • Parr Albert. Pte. (d.30th Jul 1916)
  • Parr Albert. (d.30th Jul 1916)
  • Ramsden James. Pte. (d.6th Oct 1915)
  • Ross Ralph. Pte. (d.9th Jan 1917)

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

Records of 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment from other sources.


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  Pte. Arthur Bishop !st Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.8th Mar 1916)

Arthur Ormrod was born in 1892 to Peter Ormrod and Jane Bishop (nee Lolley) in Salford. He joined the British Army under the name of Arthur Bishop. Arthur had a half-brother called Ben Bishop, who was a grenadier guard and a professional soldier. Arthur probably joined up under the name Bishop to get assigned to the same unit as Ben. Arthur was killed in action at the Battle of Dujailah in Mesopotamia on 8 March 1916.

Stuart Gahan






  Sgt. Harry Kershaw Haigh 3rd Btn. Manchester Regiment

My grandfather, Harry Haigh, was born in Rochdale on the 21st of September 1880, the youngest child of James Henry and Sarah. The family moved to live in Milnrow near Rochdale, the birthplace of his mother. Harry had been a soldier in the Manchester Regiment from 1902 until 1910 and was then in the National Army Reserve until he was called up at the outbreak of WW1. He had married in 1911 and had a daughter in 1912 and at the time they lived in Heywood near Rochdale

He rejoined on the 24th of September 1914 as a Lance Corporal in the 3rd Manchesters and on the 9th of November he was posted to the 1st Manchesters and was sent to France with them.

In December 1914 he was fighting in the Battle of Givenchy and in June 1915 he suffered a shell wound to his forehead and then a bout of enteric fever whilst with No. 2 Company of the 1st Manchesters, and was transferred to D on the 16th of July that year. He was sent to a war hospital in Preston, perhaps Dunstan House?, Lancashire.

He returned to service on the 6th of October 1915 and was posted to the 3rd Manchesters as an unpaid Lance Corporal, still serving in France and at some point in 1916 was posted B.S.O. to the 2nd Manchesters as a Lance Corporal and in September that year was again transferred, this time to the 21st Manchesters and by the 21st of September had been promoted to Corporal.

In 1917 he was at Mailly, France with the 21st Manchesters and on the 12th of January he was injured by a shell entering his forehead and he was sent to Bellhouston Red Cross Hospital in Glasgow on the 23rd of January 1917. His promotion to Sergeant came through before this attack and he rejoined the 3rd Manchesters as a Sergeant on the 10th of April 1917, remained in England and was posted to the 70th Training Reserve Battalion as an instructor. On the 14th May 1918 he was attached to the NCO's School as an instructor and was discharged from the Army on 31st of March 1920 having served 18 years 42 days.

He was awarded the 1914 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. He died in 1943 and is buried in Heywood Cemetery, Lancashire with his wife who had died a month earlier.

Dorothy Hargreaves






   Albert "Sparrow" Parr 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.30th Jul 1916)

My great uncle, Albert Parr, served with the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment in Mesopotamia, where he died of enteric fever aged 23 in July 1916. He was my grandma's brother, and she told me of a letter he'd written home saying the troops were having to drink water contaminated by the dead bodies of mules. He may have been transferred to India, or moved there to a hospital because he is commemorated on the Kirkee Memorial in India.

Wendy Cartwright






  Pte. James Ramsden 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.6th Oct 1915)

I have copies of letters from my Great Uncle James Ramsden. Details on letter. are 2569 Pte J. Ramsden, No.1 Comp 1st Man Reg, No.3 Platoon, 3rd Lahore Div, France. The last one is dated Sept 22nd 1915, from France. Previously he was in Belgium (April 1915). Apart from this I am having difficulty finding any further information.

My granddaughter visited the war graves in France where she discovered that he was blown up exactly two weeks after the letter of 22nd September. We would like to know where he was commemorated







  Sgt. John Grady 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment (d.9th January 1917)

John Grady was one my great uncles on my father's side. Although I have researched family history, sadly I have not discovered much about him. I hope someone is able to add to his story.

He is remembered with honour on the Basra Memorial.

On the 9th of January 1917 an attack by the Manchester's division across the river at Kit, the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment got into the Turkish trenches and consolidated their position, the Turks counter attacked and a furious fight ensued. The trenches were held, but with severe casualties. John was one of them.

Catherine Burton






  Pte. James Herbert O'Connor 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.6th Nov 1918)

My first cousin (2 times removed) James O'Connor served with the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment in Egypt in 1918. He died of illness on active service on 6th of November 1918 and is buried at the Hadra War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt.

James was born in Bury, Lancashire in 1878 and married Sarah Alice Hornby in 1903. They emigrated to New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA in 1911. At his age James could have sat out the war in the relative comfort of New Bedford but showed his patriotism by returning to England and joining the Manchester Regiment.

Michael Carr






  Pte. George Gow 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.30th May 1916)

Private Gow was the son of John and Ann Gow, of Walton, Liverpool.

He was 39 when he died and is buried in Benares Cantonment Cemetery in India, Plot K, Grave 17.

S Flynn






   Charles Bunn 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.8th Mar 1916)

My Great Uncle Charles Bunn was killed on this day and is remembered on the Al Basra Memorial. I'd like to know where he was was he when killed. Did he die instantly or was he hospitalized first?

Betty Dobson






  L/Cpl. Albert John Burrows 1st Battalion Manchester Regimemt (d.18th April 1916)

Lance Corporal Albert John Burrows died in action at Mesopotamia on the 18th April 1916 aged 21 years. He is commemorated on the Basra Memorial in Iraq.

Joanne Burrows






  Pte. Ralph Ross 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.9th Jan 1917)

Ralph Ross served with the 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment.

Robert Hartley






  Sgt. James Bridge 1st/5th Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.4th Jun 1915)

James Bridge died on the 4th of June 1915. He is commemorated on P the Helles Memorial in Gallipoli, Turkey.

s flynn






  Pte. Robert Jones 1st Batallion Manchester Regiment (d.16th May 1917)

Robert Jones was born in Bagillt, Wales. His family moved to St Helens, Lancashire for work. He followed his father and worked as a miner. Robert died in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) in July 1917. Two of his younger brothers named their sons Robert after him.

Eileen Williams






  Pte. Benjamin A Ford 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment (d.8th March 1916)

Benjamin Ford was already in the Army at the start of the war, and was serving in Italy. He was killed 2 months before the birth of his daughter, Alice. After his wife, Florence, was informed he was killed in action, a letter arrived, just before the baby's birth and written some time before his death, saying, if the baby is a girl, please call her Alice.

No one knew why he requested this, but thanks to modern research, we now know he had a baby sister called Alice. Too late for his wife and daughter to know, but his great great grandchildren, Benjamin and Alice, know the story to pass on to future generations, and he is remembered with pride.

Lynn A Phillips






  Pte. Herbert Boyd 16th Battalion Manchester Regiment

On 26th March 1915, Herbert Boyd attested and was posted to the 16th Battalion, he served through out the Great War as follows:
  • 30 August 1915, posted to the 25th Reserve Battalion
  • 23 December 1915 Disembarked in France
  • 6 July 1916 Admitted to the Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington.
  • 29 July 1916 granted convalescent leave to 7 August 1916. Spent this leave at 24 Queens Street, Broughton.
  • 1 September 1916 posted to 69th Training Battalion.
  • 19 September 1917 returned to France
  • 24 September 1917 posted to 21st Battalion
  • 19 January 1919 Sent to Italy (21st Battalion) Home address: 24 Ellor Street, Salford.
  • 28 February 1919 Posted to the Depot.
  • 4 June 1919 Posted to the 2nd Battalion
  • 23 June 1919 Appointed Lance Corporal paid.
  • January 1920 Appointed Acting Corporal
  • 21 January 1920 posted to 1st Battalion as Acting Corporal
  • 11 February 1920 Discharged as no longer fit for further service.
  • 23 April 1920 Awarded a King's Certificate (No.63/3438)







  •   Sgt. Joseph Edward Houghton 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.9th Jan 1917)

    Joseph was the loving son of Eliza Ellen Stewart. He was born Joseph Edward Treadwell, but changed his surname to his mother's maiden name. He was engaged to be married, but unfortunately he was killed. On his death certificate it stated Turkey, although he is remembered with Honour on the Basra Memorial. We will always remember and love him for ever.

    Delma Collins






      Pay Sjt. Herbert "Squirt" Martindale 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment

    My Father's brother, Uncle Bert served in India. A few postcards have recently been found stuck in an old album and I have been able to detach them from their glued positions to reveal messages from Khandahar barracks in Fyzabad India. They were sent to my Father and his family and are dated between Dec 1917 and April 1918.

    He speaks of the intense heat in March - 107 degrees and the Smallpox and Bubonic plagues and says the people are "dirty" and their straw houses had to be burned to the ground, so they were given tents to live in. He also says not to worry about him because he is in the "Land of Plenty" and he refers to parcels he has sent over requesting to know whether they have arrived so that he can have receipts. I was told that he sent ivory and brass ornaments and a cigar and he mentions a tin of tea and sugar. He says he expects the unit to be moved, the move abroad was cancelled but there is to be a move within India. I don't think that came about as in the April 1918 postcard he thinks "--this is the last few months of the war." His brother, my Father, didn't have a good war, he was badly wounded in Ypres while all this was going on.

    Uncle Bert was in Hong Kong in the Military Police force at some time and was partially blinded due to an accident. He later married and two of his children are living. Having just telephoned one of them he tells me his Father first was at Hydrabad, and he referred to Fysabad as "flies are bad"!! The posting to Hong Kong was around 1920.

    Shirley Ross






      Pte. Daniel Burton 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment (d.8th March 1916)

    My Great Grand-father, Danny Burton joined up at the age of 34, he died at the Battle of Dujaila in Mesopotamia on the 8th of March 1916. He left a wife and 4 daughters.

    D. Jackson






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