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May you Oswestry men follow their noble example. I am quite sure you will. And may you return at the end of the war covered in honour and glory. I bid you farewell . 10 | The Oswestry Pals
Leaving Oswestry On the morning of 7 September <strong>19</strong>14, 162 recruits gathered in Cae Glas Park. They were joined by wives and girlfriends, friends and relations, as well as people from the town who had turned out in force. The men were dressed in their ‘civvy’ clothes as uniforms had not yet been issued. To pass the time they sang songs, a favourite being ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’. At midday Colour Sergeant Evans called the men to order and they formed up in ranks. The Town Mayor, Charles Williams, accompanied by Lord and Lady Harlech and Mrs Montgomery, standing in for her husband Major General Montgomery, as well as a party of councillors and dignitaries, stepped to the front. Speeches followed. The Mayor spoke first and said how no other town could raise so fine a set of men. He went on to say how “several of you I have known all your lives, amongst you men from all classes not only working men but some of you out of the banks”. He added that they were fighting for King and Country – the very existence of which was at stake and spoke of how he, the Town and the Kingdom were so proud of the men. He said that Oswestry would keenly follow their exploits and everybody who is left behind would be thinking of them. He bid them God’s speed and hoped for their safe return. discipline was the machinery of the army and if that is observed they would get on ‘first rate and carry out your duty as we wish you to’. He spoke of how the British Army was so admired and ended by saying ‘May you Oswestry men follow their noble example. I am quite sure you will. And may you return at the end of the war covered in honour and glory. I bid you farewell’. The speeches over, the men marched though the town to catch the 13.20 train to Shrewsbury. The Town Band lead the way through the streets lined with crowds cheering and flag waving. At the station the men quickly boarded the train. The crowd kept up the excitement but for some tears were shed as they said their goodbyes. The train was adorned in Union Jacks and as the train pulled away detonators were left off, heard above the music of the band. The men waved from the carriage windows until the train was out of sight. Along the route, well wishers waved to them from the trackside. Almost all of the men from this first group would go into 6 Battalion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. The next week, on 14 September, a second contingency would leave. Most of these men would be posted to 7 Battalion KSLI. They too had a civic send off but under less grander circumstances. Lord Harlech then spoke, focussing on their military duty; asking that they are ‘implicitly obedient to those over you’; that strict | The Oswestry Pals 11
Page 1 and 2: The Oswestry Pals
Page 3 and 4: Contents 4. The Oswestry Pals 6. Re
Page 5 and 6: At the beginning of August, Lord Ki
Page 7 and 8: Hundreds of people turned up. These
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Page 13 and 14: we have plenty of blankets. Bread i
Page 15 and 16: Battle of Loos, 25 September 1915 T
Page 17 and 18: A Raid on the Enemy Lines 29 June 1
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Page 21 and 22: The 6 Battalion KSLI had casualties
Page 23 and 24: Sergeant 12258 Stanley Williams Bor
Page 25 and 26: Private 12260 William Jones Born in
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