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The Leeds Pals Memorial
I'm sure most people know the stories of the first world war "Pals" batallions. They were raised by local areas, so that men could serve alongside their friends and colleagues. Unfortunately, this also meant that in bloodbaths like The Somme, they died alongside their colleagues and the effect on home front morale was devastating.
The Leeds Pals was one such battalion, raised in the patriotic fervour of 1914. Once raised, the Pals trained to Masham and then marched to Colsterdale, where they made camp on Water Board land.
After nine months training at Colsterdale during the autumn and winter months, in what must that have been quite cold and wet conditions in the North York Moors especially for so many of the inner city lads - they were shipped to Egypt to defend the Suez Canal, but arrived in France in time for the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
The first day of The Somme was the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army, with nearly 60,000 casualties, including 20,000 dead. The Leeds Pals were thrown into one of the fiercest sectors of the line alongside the Accrington Pals and suffered over 500 casualties within a few minutes of advancing. In effect they were wiped out. Small wonder then that in 1935 the survivors relatives and friends erected this memorial. Small tribute indeed to men who suffered in a way that is almost unimaginable today.









































































