Hyndburn launches WW1 centenary celebrations

The sun was shining and Accrington Pipe band played as hundreds of people gathered on Accrington’s Broadway yesterday (Sunday 16^th Feb), for the launch of Hyndburn’s First World War commemorations, prior to the annual  Accrington Pals Memorial Service at St John The Evangelist Church, Accrington, to pay tribute to the sacrifice and bravery of the Accrington Pals.

The Accrington Pals are interweaved into the very fabric of Hyndburn’s local history, famously forming as they did a Pals battalion to fight in the First World War, with many men from this area answering Kitchener’s call and joining up.

But on 1^st July 1916, on that fateful first day of the Battle of the Somme, they suffered severe losses and over 600 casualties, leaving the community back home shattered and hardly anyone untouched, with so many losing husbands, sons, brothers, uncles, friends and neighbours.

Hyndburn’s Mayor, Cllr Judith Addison, was joined by special guest of honour, Mrs Ruth Turner, wife of the late Bill Turner, author of many books about the Pals and from whose collection the photos were taken for the commemorative banner.  Mayors from across Lancashire, Military dignitaries, cadets, British Legion members, Pals families and hundreds of local people were also in attendance for the launch event on Accrington’s Broadway which saw the Mayor officially launching the huge banner featuring images of the Accrington Pals and  fifty cadets releasing one hundred balloons to mark the hundredth anniversary.

Cllr Addison, said; “This magnificent banner is the result of a lot of hard work of dedicated, passionate and enthusiastic volunteers on the Accrington Centenary Commemorations group.  Cllr Addison paid special tribute to Mrs Turner and renowned local Pals historian and researcher Walter Holmes who carries on the late Bill Turners work, for all their help in making it happen.

Cllr Addison added; “This is truly a wonderful memorial and as a Borough we anticipate it will provide a focal point and a major part in the promotion of our First World War commemorations.”
Later over four hundred people attended a poignant commemoration service led by Rev Gerald Higham at St John the Evangelist Church in Accrington.

Cllr Miles Parkinson, Council Leader and Chair of the Accrington Pals Commemorations group said; “It’s been a really 'poignant afternoon, it was a very dignified ceremony and quite emotional when the balloons were released.”

Cllr Parkinson added “The commemorative banner is the result of a lot of hard work from volunteers and people involved with the Pals and a huge thank you should go to them, also to the many people who turned out on the day to pay their respects to the Pals and the WW1 fallen.”

Special guest of honour, Mrs Ruth Turner, who is part of the Accrington Pals Commemorations group, said; “It’s been an absolutely marvellous day and so special to me because of the banner and the centenary commemorations and it would have been very special to Bill. The church service was absolutely wonderful as well, the whole event has been so spectacular and very emotional and even the weather was kind for the day.”

Mrs Turner added; “Chronicling the history of the Accrington Pals and recognition for their bravery was my late husband Bill’s life’s work and I was so happy to be able to represent him on this momentous occasion.”

The events started a programme of activities running from 2014 to 2018 in Hyndburn, to coincide with the programme of national commemorations of the First World War, which will also feature The Duke of Lancaster’s Freedom Parade, set to take place in Accrington on 1^st July 2014.

The Accrington Pals Centenary commemoration group’s plans also include exhibitions to commemorate the Pals at Haworth Art Gallery and in Accrington Town Hall foyer; planting Poppies for the Pals at sites right across the Borough; a commemoration service at Accrington Station; a performance of the famous Accrington Pals play by Oswaldtwistle Players and a Centenary Concert, including a performance of the original Pals March on 27^th September 2014.

Details of upcoming events are featured in a leaflet available locally at Accrington Town Hall Information Centre, Accrington Library, Accrington Market Hall, the Civic at Oswaldtwistle, the local history museum in Accrington’s Arndale and via the Council’s website at http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/site/scripts/download_info.php?downloadID=1400.

An Accrington Pals commemorative beer has already been produced and is on sale at Accrington Information Centre in the Town Hall and Oswaldtwistle Mills. The Borough’s boundary signs will also soon be updated to say ‘Welcome to Hyndburn, home of the Accrington Pals’.

The Council is also working with the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment to arrange the Freedom Parade in July 2014 and also to incorporate a commemoration of the Accrington Pals in a new town square in Accrington, which will be a fitting tribute to all those brave men whose losses devastated the whole community.

Looking ahead, commemorations are planned in Accrington and France on 1^st July 2016,  with an early morning special Council meeting and a maroon flare  at 7.30am in Accrington, to mark one hundred years since the Pals went ‘over the top’  and books of honour presentations and wreaths laid at the Accrington Pals memorial in France.  Thanks must go to local Pals researcher, Walter Holmes, who worked closely with Bill Turner and carries on his sterling work. Walter researched, assembled and printed the books of honour and is a mine of knowledge on all aspects of the Pals.

Cllr Parkinson concluded; “The Pals centenary events are for everyone, right across the Borough, to recognise and commemorate the Pals and their sacrifice and their place in the borough’s rich history.”