jainvince Posted 16 October , 2007 Share Posted 16 October , 2007 I have seen a photograph of the Manchester Regiment encamped at Hollingworth Lake, Littleborough during WW1. Does any Manchester Regiment expert have any more details about when it was, how long it remained and which Battalions were involved? Any other details would also be welcome. Appreciate any information. Bernard P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 16 October , 2007 Share Posted 16 October , 2007 1/5th (Wigan), Territorial Force, which sailed from Southampton on September 10, 1914, so it must have been at the lake shortly after mobilisation. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 16 October , 2007 Share Posted 16 October , 2007 6th, 7th and 8th were also there. I'm unsure about 9th & 10th. They arrived on 20 August and left for Southampton on 9 September. Their march from Manchester was reported in the Rochdale Observer: "The Manchester Territorials made an early start. They were out and about, soon after three o'clock and were in route formation by five. At that hour, the 6th Battalion moved away from their Headquarters in Stretford Road, half an hour later the 7th left Burlington Street and the men of the 8th from Ardwick bringing up the rear. The departures were watched by crowds. The 6th Battalion came through in a very soldierly fashion. Officers riding and one or two mounted men were in a van, a cycling contingent followed and afterwards, four abreast marched the "Terriers". A machine gun or two and quite a number of horse drawn vehicles laden with stores brought up the rear.....There was no ban on pipe or cigarette. Here and there water bottles were raised to dusty ready lips. It must have been no joke this full kit march, with rifle, ammunition, other service requisites and the greatcoat strapped behind the shoulders - a total weight exceeding 60lbs." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manchester regiment Posted 16 October , 2007 Share Posted 16 October , 2007 the 9th and 10th batts went into camp near bury. bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 16 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2007 Since my original post a friend has provided me with the picture which is now enclosed. Thanks to everyone for their information Bernard P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 17 October , 2007 Share Posted 17 October , 2007 See here for another photo. Local newspapers often gave very detailed accounts of military activities in the first weeks of the war, so it would be worth checking these out. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 17 October , 2007 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2007 Moonraker Thanks for that. Used to have the original article from the Rochdale Observer but its dissappeared. However, the details of the Bns was additional. The link provided a clue to another post i have been involved in http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...showtopic=83783 I can now include the details provided by the Observer so thanks again Bernard P PS Have now discovered 5 more pictures. many were locally taken but all differ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harribobs Posted 21 October , 2007 Share Posted 21 October , 2007 one from my collection we can give you just about any information you need at the Manchester Regiment Group Site and forum the manchester regiment group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuntun Posted 28 October , 2007 Share Posted 28 October , 2007 Bernard, the Manchester Regiment archives are held at the Tameside Archive Unit in Ashton-under-lyme. I recently spent a day there and remember that they held several letters and photos from late July/early August 1914, including some from the CO of the brigade camped at Littleborough. It might be worth your while getting in touch with them, the staff are very helpful. Incidentially, I grew up in Littleborough, and from the photo it looks like they are camped on what is now the Hollingworth Lake Country Park and visitor's centre. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n cherry Posted 29 October , 2007 Share Posted 29 October , 2007 At the risk of getting booed certainly the 'Manchester Infantry Brigade' were billeted at Hollingsworth Lake in 1914 before they went to Egypt.....I visited the lake to take a few photos for the book 'I Shall Not Find His Equal' about theri brigade commander....Noel Lee this was the 5th, 5th, 7th and 8th Battalions. I also went to Rochdale Library and found various newspaper articles which were reproduced in the book...... There are a copule of photos inside the visitor centre saying that (from memory) The Manchester Pals were billetted here before going to war..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 29 October , 2007 Share Posted 29 October , 2007 Niall Just wondered if you've still got the piccies and if it might be possible to put together a "then and now" sort of thingy. The "then" in your book is taken from a slightly different spot to the one that Bernard shows above. I guess harribobs' is taken from reverse angle? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n cherry Posted 29 October , 2007 Share Posted 29 October , 2007 Niall Just wondered if you've still got the piccies and if it might be possible to put together a "then and now" sort of thingy. The "then" in your book is taken from a slightly different spot to the one that Bernard shows above. I guess harribobs' is taken from reverse angle? John John, I'm sure I have the 'then' photo in my banana boxes archive in my loft......I'll try and find and post with a now shot....but I'll need to get my daughter to scan for me.....still not properly worked out this computer stuff......I'm just a COG..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n cherry Posted 30 October , 2007 Share Posted 30 October , 2007 John and others.....spent some time in the boxes last night and failed miserabyt to find the postcard from 1914 of the camp.....which was used on page 4 of ISNFHE...I wonder if I sent it back to Robert B..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 1 November , 2007 Author Share Posted 1 November , 2007 Many thanks for the comments. My original reason for the post was because some of our records (including a copy of the Rochdale Observer article) had gone astray, hopefully only temporarily, and I needed some information rather quickly. A number of pictures appear to have been taken of the camp of which some were made into Post Cards. The one in our records has the following words on the reverse side but I do not have any clue of their significance! The site of the camp is near where the current visitor centre and associated car park now stand. However, because some of the site was used as a local refuse tip, the ground levels are much higher than they were when the Manchester Regiment were encamped. Additionally, the water authority did work on the dams which has changed the profile from that shown on the sepia photograph. Will try and get some photos of the site over the next few days. Later this month, the local historical society will be holding an exhibition in the Visitor Centre to commemorate all of the Littleborough soldiers who fought and died in the Ypres Salient or are remembered there. Bernard P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuntun Posted 2 November , 2007 Share Posted 2 November , 2007 Bernard, do you know on what date the exhibiton will be open, I'd be very interested in attending. Thanks Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 3 November , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2007 Bernard, do you know on what date the exhibiton will be open, I'd be very interested in attending. Thanks Martin Martin We are setting up next Wednesday 7th November and then it is open from 08.11.07 for 3 weeks or so. The exhibition commemorates some 70 soldiers from the Littleborough area and includes pictures of where they lived, worked, where I believe they fought their last and where they lie or are remembered. Many of the 'war' pictures are probably not new to members of this forum but will be new to many of the local population and visitors. There will also be a number of postcards (from WW1), plus extracts from diaries from a local hospital (you may have seen the post on this website - proved very popular - many at the exhibition will be new) and there will also be the societies remaining pictures of the Manchester Regiments encampment. If we can get the security sorted there may also be the medals received by one of the fallen. Must emphasise that the exhibition and the work behind it is to remember the soldiers, it may not reach the highest display standards but it shows we care some 90 years later and that's what counts. Fortunately, help from pals of the GWF has made the exhibition possible in respect of where the men fought. BernardP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuntun Posted 4 November , 2007 Share Posted 4 November , 2007 Bernard, thanks for the info, it sounds very interesting. I shall do my best to get there for a look this weekend! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 8 November , 2007 Author Share Posted 8 November , 2007 Niall Just wondered if you've still got the piccies and if it might be possible to put together a "then and now" sort of thingy. The "then" in your book is taken from a slightly different spot to the one that Bernard shows above. I guess harribobs' is taken from reverse angle? John John Just come back from the lake and enclose three shots of the area where the Manchester Regiment were encamped. Two photos are from a viewpoint looking along the dam. The panorama gives a picture of the fields that they camped on, the other shows changes which have occured to the dam itself. The remaining picture looks east from a similar viewpoint th that used in the other photo from the past. Its not quite the same but is close enough. Having perused the pictures, they show off the beautiful autumn tree colours BernardP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuntun Posted 10 November , 2007 Share Posted 10 November , 2007 Bernard, I've just returned from the WW1 exhibition in the Hollingworth Lake Visitor Centre and was very impressed by the display, it's clear that the Society have put a great deal of work into the displays. Despite the awful weather there was a constant tickle of people viewing the material in the time I was there. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 10 November , 2007 Share Posted 10 November , 2007 Great piccies, Bernard. Thanks for doing them. I reckon your third is bang on for posiiton of the "then" in post #8. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 10 November , 2007 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2007 Bernard, I've just returned from the WW1 exhibition in the Hollingworth Lake Visitor Centre and was very impressed by the display, it's clear that the Society have put a great deal of work into the displays. Despite the awful weather there was a constant tickle of people viewing the material in the time I was there. Martin Many thanks Martin. I've been looking in to see that the displays remain OK (the dry heat affects the self adhesive velcrow) and been pleasantly supprised by the interest and about the numbers who believe its important to remember the soldiers who gave so much. Of course, the display showing where they fought their last wouldn't have been possible without the help given by members of this forum, who provided so much information is response to my questions. Glad you 'enjoyed' it. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 1 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2008 Last year I posted some pictures of the Manchester Regiment when camped at Hollingworth Lake. Have come across a few more pictures which will post together with some modern panorama pictures taken today. Also enclosed is a photo of a modern mine cap - there used to be a deep coal mine shaft on site. Don't know what the army did about it as the mine doesn't stand out on the old photos. Bernard PS following last years successful exhibition in the Visitor Centre, we have been asked to do another this year. we have therefore chosen to mark 90 years since the end of WW1 (plus a couple of smaller themes. Some near 400 soldiers who died in the war will be remembered but we are still wondering about how to commemorate those who fought in the Great War but are not remembered through the CWGC data. Another 3 photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themonsstar Posted 1 May , 2008 Share Posted 1 May , 2008 Great photo's, well done for showing them to us. Cheers MS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainvince Posted 17 October , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2008 Our archives have delivered up another photo of the Manchester Regiment in camp. This time the photo shows details of the horse paddock. As with many pictures of the era, the quality isn't too good but I am posting below two versions. One shows the camp and the other has been lightened to show the paddock in more detail. The modern day view is shown in the first picture on post 18 as far as I can tell. Bernard P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicko576 Posted 17 October , 2008 Share Posted 17 October , 2008 Thanks for showing these pictures Bernard. they really are excellent, Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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