Perhaps one of the most famous stories of Hyndburn's history is that of the Accrington Pals; the 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington) East Lancashire Regiment. In August 1914, during the early days of the First World War, the British Government was hurridly seeking

volunteers to join the armed forces to fight in the fields of Europe.  It was suggested by the Government that men would enlist in this volunteer army more willingly if they could fight alongside their friends and colleagues from their home towns - the concept of the 'Pals' battalion was born.

On September 7, 1914, the Mayor of Accrington, Councillor John Harwood, opened recruiting offices in Accrington, Church, Clayton-le-Moors, Great Harwood, Oswaldtwistle and Rishton, as well as in other neighbouring towns such as Burnley, Blackburn and Chorley.  By September 17, thirty six officers and 1076 men had been recruited into the new battalion - to be commonly known as the Accrington Pals. 

After five months of marching and drills at home, the Pals left for Caernarvon, Wales, on February 23, 1915 for further training.  Over 15,000 people lined the streets to see them off, factories and schools closed for the day as local people waved goodbye to their husbands, brothers and fathers.

After further training at Rugeley, Staffordshire; Ripon, Yorkshire and Salisbury Plain, the Accrington Pals left Britain for Egypt in December 1915.  There they remained until March 1916 when they were required in France as the British and French were preparing for their "big push" against the Germans.

Early on the morning of July 1, 1916, seven hundred Accrington Pals advanced from their trench positions towards the German held village of Serre.  As they crossed no man's land, 235 Pals were killed and 350 wounded in less than twenty minutes by German machine gun and mortar fire.  Of the wounded, seventeen were later to die from their injuries. 

The Pals were bravely defeated.  Regimental hostory accounts were later to state "The Battalion, for whose efficiency all had worked so long, had been been broken in an impossible task, but it carried out its duty in a manner worthy of the highest traditions of the Regiment."

Virtually every family in the Hyndburn area was affected by the losses.  Everybody had lost a relative, or at least knew someone else that had.  Their story is one that has stayed with the people of this area ever since.

This page has given you but the briefest insight into the story of the Accrington Pals.  If you'd like to learn more, there are several places you could look.  An excellent online resource can be found at www.pals.org.uk; a site which provides a detailed history of the Battalion, many photographs and eyewitness accounts from the battlefield.  You may also wish to try Accrington library, or visit the exhibition at Accrington Town Hall.