Wigan Album

I wonder how many of these men never returned from 'the war to end all wars'!

These photos are of the 1/5 (Wigan) Battalion T.F. of the Manchester Regiment. The battalion was based at their HQ at Bank Street Chambers, Wigan, ‘A’ to ‘E’ Companies, ‘F’ Company Patricroft, ‘G’ Company, Leigh, ‘H’ Company, Atherton.I believe these photos had been taken on the eve before the 1/5 Manchesters moved out as part of the Manchester Brigade,East Lancs Division at a camp in Hollingworth Lake, Littleborough near Rochdale.This would be in August 1914.The Battalion then sailed out from Southampton to Egypt on board the Caledonia,then arriving at Alexandria on the 25th September.In Egypt the battalion was quartered in the Mustapha Barracks and were kitted out in tropical clothing. By October the battalion was training in the Sidi-Gaber Barracks.By the 3rd of May they had embarked then on the 6th of May 1915 landed with the 6th battalion at W and V beaches Gallipoli,in this campaign the Manchesters took bloody terrible casualties.After the evacuation of Gallipoli in Jan 1916(a reet bloody cock up as the Wigan sowjers would say)Then it was back to Egypt until March 1917 when they went to France.The battalion was in France, Hautmont area, S.W. of Maubeuge by the 11th of November 1918 as part of the 127th Brigade, 42nd Division.
My own Grandfather was with these lads(a machine gunner)he came home wounded but alive only to go back some years later as part of the BEF on 24 April as part of 127 (Manchester) Brigade 42 (East Lancashire) Division to Halluin on the French/Belgium border. Following the German invasion of Belgium on 10 May the battalion moved to the area of Douai. During the withdrawal to Dunkirk the battalion was engaged in close combat to the west of Bergues.Then to the UK on 1/2 June from Dunkirk.His traing for this second lot was done in Wigan and mostly at central park.After all this he was a man who had no tales to tell about war or its glory,he would just say "Aye a couple of bad does"

Thanks for this Joseph.
I wonder if my great grandfather Nathaniel Culshaw was in this pic. I do know that he was in the Manchester regiment and was killed in action in 1915 at Gallipoli.
He buried in military cemetry there.

Carl it would seem your G/grandfather was in the Border regiment that is if this is him.

Name: CULSHAW, NATHANIEL
Initials: N
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Border Regiment
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 25
Date of Death: 21/08/1915
Service No: 11822
Additional information: Son of Roger and Elizabeth Culshaw, of 36, Lower Morris St., Wigan; husband of Catherine Culshaw, of 7, Westminster St., Wigan.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 119 to 125 or 222 and 223.
Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL
I hope this helps you.

Thanks again Joseph. You are right. I checked the commonwealth war graves and he is indeed listed as The Border regt.I wonder how many other Wigan men were in that regt.
Also that he lived 2 doors up from where George Formby was born, in Westminster street.

Joseph.
Very impressed with your knowledge about the 1/5 Manchester Regiment and Gallipoli.I had an uncle killed in Gallipoli (1915)who was in that battalion, aad I have some photo's of the battalion in Egpht prior to their embarkcation for Gallipoli.Have you seen any photo's of the Manchesters in Egpht?. Respond on this link Joseph if you would like to see them.

Hi Joseph
Ithink i may have found an enlistment record of my grandfathers brother,John Sydney Calderbank 23rd march 1915 he came from St Catharines parish scholes, but stamped on it says Royal reg of artillary {R.H ???} can you tell me where this reg went and is it related to the 1/5 manchesters? you have helped me before by looking at a pic and telling me which reg the badges on their uniform belonged to
thanking you joy

Hi Joseph have you any info. on my dad's uncle, Thomas Telford. He was killed in Gallipoli. I know he went to Egypt before embarking for Gallipoli.

I had already put much of the info on before about the Manchesters for Joy.

Brian i would love to see the photos of Egypt please put them on thanks.We have lost our photos of my grandfather in Egypt with the Manchesters.

Joy i would need a bit more info,but it looks like he may have transferred for any amount of reasons from the RHA(Royal Horse Artillery) to the Manchesters maybe his mates went into the ifantry so he wanted to join them.

Ron I can only find two Telfords niether of them named Thomas.One of them is James Telford service No 1501 KIA 1915 and the other is John Telford service No 1366 also KIA 1915 both from the Manchesters and both buried at Helles.

Sorry above post should read Robert Telford

Name: TELFORD, ROBERT
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Manchester Regiment
Unit Text: "A" Coy. 1st/5th Bn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 04/06/1915
Service No: 1478
Additional information: Son of Robert and Sarah Telford, of 27, Alfred St., Swinley, Wigan.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 158 to 170.
Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL
Hope this is of some use Ron they even named his company "A".

Hi Joseph thanks for the info. His name being on a memorial. and there being no grave. Does that mean his body was never found?

Ron it is more than likely his body was never found,this was Gallipoli and body's had to be "disposed" of pretty quick due to the heat of the sun and of course the pressures of battle, so mass graves would be the detail of their commrades and no time to mark the grave.Some men hit by High explosive shells would just "be gone" god bless them.What terrors would a man go through to see this happen.I hope i have been of some help to you.

Hello,Brian I was at the Bluecoat school when you were,after that I went to All Saints'
Also Hello Darren .I worked for Wigan untill I retired

I wish I could put a face to my relative who could also have been in this photo. He signed up on the first day and was also in the 1/5th battalion (territorial force) from Wigan. A wonderful photograph

my grandfather james brady was killed in ypres 31st october1942 service no 2800 loyal north Lancashire regiment I would appreciate any info about him

My uncle thomas dean served with these lads, he was killed in gallipol

My Great Granddad was James Brady 2800, John Brady could you contact me please for more info