The Barnsley Pals were two British Army Pals battalions during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. They were formed as the 13th (1st Barnsley Pals) and 14th (2nd Barnsley Pals) Battalions of the

York and Lancaster Regiment The York and Lancaster Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until 1968. The regiment was created in the Childers Reforms of 1881 by the amalgamation of the 65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment ...

. These two Pals battalions were brigaded with the

Sheffield City Battalion The Sheffield City Battalion was a Pals battalion during the First World War . Raised in 1914, it was designated as the 12th (Sheffield City) (Service) Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment. History Recruits The battalion found its recruit ...

(12th Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment) and the Accrington Pals (11th Battalion,

East Lancashire Regiment The East Lancashire Regiment was, from 1881 to 1958, a line infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot and 59th (2nd Nottingh ...

) in the 94th Brigade of the 31st Division. The 31st Division was sent to

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...

to guard the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popula ...

before being shipped to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

in March 1916. Both Barnsley Pals battalions took part in the attack on Serre on the first day of the Somme campaign. The 31st Division suffered 3,600 casualties and failed to achieve any of its objectives. The Barnsley Pals were the two support battalions for the Sheffield City Battalion and the Accrington Pals. The 1st Barnsley Pals suffered 275 casualties while the 2nd Barnsley Pals suffered 270 casualties on 1 July 1916.

References

External links

Webmatters Site on Pals Battalions
Pals battalions Infantry battalions of the British Army Military units and formations established in 1914 Military units and formations disestablished in 1919 Military units and formations in the West Riding of Yorkshire Military history of South Yorkshire History of Barnsley {{UK-mil-stub