Lancashire Fusillers

[Guest Paul L]

Looking for books on the Lanc's Fusillers mainly the battalions raised in Bury. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Paul L.

[MartinWills]

An excellent start would be Hell's Foundations by Geoffrey Moorhouse. It's out of print but not to difficult to find second hand and deals with the LFs and Bury and is described as follows:

Hell's Foundations; A Town, its Myths and Gallipoli. First UK edition; 8vo; pp. (xiv), 256; endpaper maps, 16 pages of plates, select bibliography, acknowledgements, sources, index; a minor chip to dustjacket, a fine copy. London, Hodder & Stoughton, (1992). A study on the impact of the Gallipoli campaign on the town of Bury, the regimental home of the Lancashire Fusiliers, which lost 1,816 men

Try:

Dorset Rare Books

24 Water Lane, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 7TE, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1722 337929

{or +44 (0)1747 852532}

Email address: drbooks@eurobell.co.uk

Who have a paperback copy at £4 - quoting the book number below should help them find it - unless it's already sold.

Booknumber: 005155

MOORHOUSE ,GEOFFREY - Hell's Foundations : A Town ,Its Myths & Gallipoli GB, Sceptre. 1993. Soft Cover ,. Very Good. 8vo 256 pp paper back in very good cond.With b/w plates.

GBP 4.00(= appr. US$7.00)

This should give you all you want to start with and the bibliography should provide further leads. If you don't feel you want to pay £4 plus post try your local library and request it if necessary, but I can assure you that the book would be £4 well spent.

[Raster Scanning]

Another good book is "Men of 18 in 1918" by Frederick James Hodge. Arthur H Stockwell Ltd, Ilfracombe Devon. 1988. ISBN 0 7223 2232 -1.

This book was written by Hodge when he was in his late 80s. A native of Northampton he was under training in the 53rd Young Soldiers Battalion, Bedfordshire Rgt, when due to the situation in France he was sent partially trained, to join the 10th (S) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. The book covers the time he spent with them from April 1918 right up to the end of the war.

The story is told with remarkable clarity with many men not only mentioned by name but by number as well.

Very interesting for someone with an interest in the LF's as well as anyone interested in Northampton during the Gt War.

This book may be quite uncommon as I think only a few were printed in a rather poor binding, highly recommended though. I was lucky enough to obtain a signed copy some years ago.

John.

[Kate Wills]

Just to add to John's piece; when Fred Hodges celebrated his 100 birthday, buglers in red tunics from the successor unit arrived at his home to herald the great event. He was over the moon. His sense of pride in his old regiment remained undiminished to his death in February 2002.

[Paul Reed]

George Ashurst's My Bit is also worth a read; he was a regular in 1/LF and served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front; I don't have the book in front of me, but it first came out in around 1986 and was edited by Richard Holmes. I think there was a later pb edition as well.

I met George at one of the early WFA meetings; fascinating character.

[paul guthrie]

There is a paperback. It is easily the best book by a true working class OR UK man I have read.

[Andrew Hesketh]

I've got a copy of 'My Bit' by George Ashcroft on the bookshelf next to me. I'd be happy to consult it for you if required.

All the best,

Andrew

[Guest Paul L]

Thank's everyone i'll try and get the books you have recommended.

Thank's again. Paul L.

[Andrew Hesketh]

Try also:

Latter, Maj-Gen. J.C., 'The History of the Lancashire Fusiliers', Gale & Polden, 1949.