Descendants of the Accrington Pals are asked to come forward before next year’s 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
Organisers are seeking relatives of the battalion to help compile an oral history. They are also interested in letters and photographs from the period.
Captain Shelley Whitehead, from Lancashire Army Cadet Force, is helping to find Pals’ relatives.
She said: “We want to try and get as many attendees as we can for the 100th anniversary service next year.
“We want to see if they have any artefacts, letters or photographs that we can record and copy and also speak to them to get an historical recording.”
Before that, the 99th anniversary will be marked on Sunday, February 16 with a memorial service from 3pm at St John’s The Evangelist Church, in Accrington. Around 500 people are expected to attend.
The service will be hosted by the 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington) The East Lancashire Regiment. It will include cadets, mayors from across East Lancashire and members of the Great War Society.
Cadets will parade from their base on Stanley Street to the church where there will be a guard of honour and Great War Society members dressed in period uniforms.
Captain Whitehead added: “It’s the 99th anniversary of the Valedictory Service in the church. The Pals left their home town on February 23.
“It’s the start of the commemorations for the Accrington Pals here in Hyndburn and should be a great day.”
For more information or to get in contact with Shelley call 01254 884583 or email
thesomme1916@aol.com.
