HEARTBREAK AS LUCK RUNS OUT FOR TEEN SOLDIERS FROM, ECCLES, MONTON AND SWINTON

In 2016, national centenary commemorations of the first day of the Battle of the Somme had been completed.

But over 100 years ago, local families in Eccles and Swinton were just entering what seemed to be a nightmare that would never end.

Catastrophic losses on both sides were met with a flurry of letters home.

Below is just a small selection of writing on behalf of local regiments and beyond.

Lance Corporal James Collinson served in the Cheshire Regiment and lived at Manchester Road in Walkden with his wife and two children.

Before he joined up James had worked at the Bridgewater Colliery.

The family had already suffered terribly when James’ brother William was killed at Gallipoli earlier that year.

His is a rather poignant story.

His wife told the Eccles Journal in July 1916 that she was concerned that she hadn’t received a letter from him since the 1st day of the month – the opening day of the offensive against German lines at The Somme.

His final missive to her would be a short letter in which he expressed hope that the war would soon be over so he could come home and see her and his two children.

Enclosed in the envelope were red and white rose petals, to express love and the hope for peace.

Private Fred Meadowcroft, 19, lived at Vincent Avenue in Monton with his parents.

He had joined the Royal Scots Regiment in 1914 and would not survive beyond day one of the Battle of the Somme.

His friend Sergeant William Black, who also lived in Monton, wrote to the family expressing his sadness.

Quote

 

“Your son was one of the best men I have ever had serving under me, and always steady even under heavy shelling.

“When the great advance was in progress there never was a braver lad on the field of battle, it is such as great heroes as Fred that our Battalion has won such great fame, for when the first battle was over the General with tears in his eyes thanked our gunners for their great work, saying that through their efforts wer instrumental in saving a whole division of men”.

 

He then added as a postscipt:

Quote

“Fred was killed at once and suffered no pain”.

Private William Edward Barber, 18, lived on Liverpool Road, Irlam and left his job at the CWS Works to join the Manchester Pals.

His is yet another tragic story of the waste of a young life.

William had seen in action in France and had gained special permission to return home and get married, one month earlier.

His distraught widow received a letter from a friend, which said they went into action at 8.30am on that fateful day and William fell mortally wounded within half an hour.

His comrades said his death was a great loss and he would be sadly missed.

How on earth would William’s widow cope after only one month of marriage to lose such a young husband of 19?

Private John Mason, 22, who lived at Park Lane West, Pendlebury, joined the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1914 leaving his job as a surface hand at Clifton Colliery.

John Mason had seen more action than most serving soldiers.

He took part in the retreat from Mons in 1915, fought in the battles of the Aisne and the Marne, Ypres, Armentieres and Loos.

He had been gassed on two occasions by German troops, and was once shot in the head in combat but made a full recovery.

He was last home on leave in September 1915 for a few days before going back to France.

Sadly John’s luck was to run out on 1 July when he was shot and killed at the Battle of the Somme. This incredibly brave young man died at just 22 in yet another tragic waste of life.

Private Arthur Booth, 18, lived at Bolton Road, Pendlebury with his parents, he was employed at Clifton Hall Colliery before joining the Swinton and Pendlebury Pals in 1915.

His parents were to receive the shattering news of young Arthur’s death from a letter written to them by an officer in the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Quote

 

“It is with very great regret that I have to inform you of the death of your son on the morning of 3 July.

“He was killed together with two of his friends by a very large shell which blew in the emplacement where he was serving his gun, he died instantly and without pain.

“I had a high regard for your son who was such a nice and cheerful and bright lad, its a cruel shame that he been taken away from you in the flower of his youth, he served his company and country with gallantry.”

 

Private Harold Leach, 22, joined the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1914 and left his place of employment at Dean’s Mill, he lived with his parents on Blantyre Street, Moorside, Swinton.

They too would receive a letter from his Commanding Oficer, Lieutenant Gribble bearing the dreaded news of his death.

Quote

 

“It is with deepest regret that I have to inform you that Harold gallantly fell in action on 1 July,” he wrote.

“He was greatly loved by both officers and men and will be sadly missed, he died a true British hero fighting for his King and country and God willed it that he should pay the supreme sacrifice, he died without pain.”

 

While it was perhaps to spare the family’s feelings, it would be extremely unlikely that these young, terrified soldiers would die heroically, and painlessly.

Thousands of men died in agony, hit by shelling, with no medical aid, or trapped on barbed wire in No Man’s Land.

Many were not long out of their teens, single or just married, to die in some foreign field for a cause they probably knew nothing about.