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Accrington's WWI Pals: Memorial Unveiled
9 Jul
Summary
- Accrington unveiled a memorial for soldiers lost in WWI.
- Nearly 600 of Accrington's 'Pals' were killed or wounded.
- The Somme battle tragically claimed over one million lives.
A new memorial sculpture, "Deeply Regret," has been unveiled in Accrington's Avenue Parade Gardens, honoring the town's soldiers who faced devastating losses during World War I. The sculpture depicts a woman and child before a sign reading "Darling, be home soon."
The Accrington 'Pals' regiment, the 11th battalion East Lancashire Regiment, experienced immense tragedy. Of its 720 men, nearly 600 were killed, wounded, or missing in action within the first half hour of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916.
This battle, which raged for five months, resulted in over one million casualties. Accrington was uniquely noted for raising a complete battalion of approximately 1,000 men, making it the smallest town in Britain to achieve this feat.
The unveiling ceremony was led by Hyndburn mayor Noordad Aziz, who described the garden as a "place to pause, reflect and remember." His presence was particularly meaningful, having recently returned from commemorating the 110th anniversary of the battle in France.
