My book Accrington's Pals: The Full Story was published in May 2013. The purpose of this page is to update the book as new information about both the Accrington Pals and the Accrington & Burnley Howitzer Brigade continues to be uncovered. Page 5 John and Sarah Harwood's youngest child, Jack, lived to the age of nineteen, dying on 21st September 1906. Jack was buried in Accrington Cemetery three days later. (Thanks to Mike Harwood for this information.) Page 6 John Richard Harwood was born, not in 1895, but on 3rd December 1898 making him only sixteen years of age when he enlisted into the ranks of the Howitzers on 10th February 1915. Pages 50, 119 and 163 Reginald Jackson should read Robert Jackson. Page 90 X Company of the Accrington Pals returned to the battalion on 6th May 1916. (Private communication from Rosemary Gardiner, and 94th Infantry Brigade War Diary, TNA WO 95/2363) Plate 42 (between pages 114 and 115) Recent research by Bill Flentje and David Harding points to this photograph having been taken not at Bishop Monkton but at Cannock Chase in the summer of 1915.
Page 116 Tasmanian-born Second Lieutenant Gordon Webster had travelled to France with CLVIII Brigade after recovering from being wounded with LXXI Brigade in October 1915. He was invalided to England with dysentery in September 1916. (TNA WO 339/16798) Page 118 It was James Clitheroe - not Ronald Denbigh - who managed to stop the horses running away from the shell explosion. Page 119 Robert Jackson was awarded the Military Cross for his work on 24th July 1916. His MC citation is under the name Reginald Jackson. (TNA WO 389/2) Page 125 The awards of the Military Cross to Edmund Mills Harwood and Frank Harwood were made for their work on 2nd August 1916. (TNA WO 389/2) Page 125 David Rostron Worsley was awarded the Military Cross for his work on 19th May 1917. (TNA WO 389/4) Page 155 The unnamed gunner has been identified as L/610 Herbert Edward Ward, a 32-year old collier from Burnley. Ward was awarded the Military Medal for his conduct on 2nd June 1917 (Burnley Express and Advertiser, 22nd December 1917, page 11, and 3rd May 1919, page 4). Page 184 William Albert Stuart should read William Alexander Stuart. Stuart was the step-brother of Herbert Ward (see above). Pages 209-10 The Howitzers' Burnley batteries held their first reunion at the town's old barracks on 17th September 1919. (Burnley Express and Advertiser, 20th September 1919, page 4) Page 210 Although it took until 1935 for there to be a full battalion reunion, Z (Burnley) Company held its first reunion on 18th December 1925 at the Empress Hotel, Burnley; over 100 officers, NCOs and men were present, under the chairmanship of ex-CQMS William Robert Collinge (Burnley Express and Advertiser, 19th December 1925, page 15). Later reunions are known to be been held on 16th December 1932, 11th November 1933, 10th November 1934 and 13th November 1948. Plate 57 (between pages 178 and 179) 15708 Robert (Bob) Bullen is at the centre front of the group in the photograph. Email author:
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