The 12th (Service) Battalion, Manchester Regiment, was a unit of 'Kitchener's Army' formed immediately after the outbreak of the First World War. It saw action in the Ypres Salient in 1915–16, on the Somme in 1916, including actions at Mametz Wood and the Battle of Delville Wood, and in the Arras Offensive. It was then amalgamated with the dismounted cavalry of the Manchester-based Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (DLOY) to become the 12th (DLOY) Battalion, Manchester Regiment. It continued serving on the Western Front until the Armistice with Germany, including the Battle of Passchendaele, the German Spring Offensive and the final Allied Hundred Days Offensive.

12th (Service) Battalion Recruitment

On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army, and the newly appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'.Army Council Instructions No 32 (6 August) and No 37 (7 August).Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 2 & 8; Appendix I. A flood of volunteers poured into the recruiting offices across the country and were formed into 'Service' battalions of the county regiments. So many came forward that the 'K1' battalions were quickly filled and the recruitment of 'K2' units was authorised on 11 September. The Manchester Regiment's K2 battalion was raised in September and officially became the 12th (Service) Battalion at Ladysmith Barracks, Ashton-under-Lyne, on 7 October 1914.Frederick, p. 133.Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 71–7.James, p. 97.

Training The battalion was assigned to 52nd Brigade of 17th (Northern) Division, which was assembling round Wareham, Dorset. 12th Battalion was billeted at Wool. For some time no uniforms were available for the men, and even blankets were scarce in the improvised billets and in the tented camps erected in October. That month some old uniforms were supplied, and the men paraded in peacetime red coats with civilian headgear and overcoats. For months there were only a few drill-pattern rifles with which to train, and machine guns had to be represented by dummy guns. The onset of winter weather in November drove the brigade into hastily erected huts at Bovington Camp outside Wool. However, before the end of 1914 the infantry were equipped with old pattern magazine Lee–Enfield rifles and a 'generous' supply of ammunition allowed elementary musketry training to begin. In December 52nd Bde moved to Wimborne, then back to Wool in March 1915. In that month the division received a limited issue of Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk III service rifles and new leather equipment. Between 27 May and 1 June the division marched to Flowerdown outside Winchester, with 12th Manchesters at Hursley Park. The division underwent final intensive battle training at Flowerdown.

On 5 July the division was informed that it would be retained in England for some time on home defence. However, this was rescinded at midnight the same day and it was ordered to embark for the Western Front from 12 July. Mobilisation was completed and the advance parties left for the front. 12th Manchesters entrained at Winchester on 15 July and embarked at Folkestone at midnight. It landed at Boulogne next day with a strength of 30 officers and 945 other ranks (ORs) under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel E.G. Harrison, and marched to join the division, which was concentrating south of Saint-Omer.12th Manchester War Diary July 1915–March 1919, The National Archives, Kew, file WO 95/2012/2.

Ypres 17th (Northern) Division moved up to the front on 19 July and joined V Corps under Second Army in the Ypres Salient. The battalions were then sent into the line for instruction in Trench warfare. On 23 July 12th Manchesters was attached by platoons to the Liverpool Scottish serving with 3rd Division. On 30 July the battalion marched to White Chateau and bivouacked before taking over its own section of the line near Hooge on the night of 1/2 August. Sporadic fighting had been going on for some weeks round the ruins of Hooge Chateau. After a few quiet days the battalion began digging a trench in front of its parapet and its own barbed wire. This was part of a diversion by 17th (N) Division created a diversion for an attack by 6th Division on 9 August. The new trenches in front and behind the line looked like jumping-off trenches and assembly trenches. These obvious preparations drew German artillery fire onto the division's own front and communication trenches. 6th Division's limited attack was notably well planned and executed, recapturing the big Hooge Crater and the stables of the chateau.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, pp. 106–8.

The battalion settled down to the routine of spells in the front line alternating with reserve positions, providing working parties, and occasional trench raids, such as one carried out by 12th Manchesters n 'Gravel Farm' on 17 September. 17th (N) Division was not engaged in any major actions for the rest of the year. On 14 February 1916 the division was holding the line astride the Ypres–Comines Canal including 'The Bluff', a spoilheap left after the construction of the canal that provided the best observation post in the area. A German attack captured the Bluff, while 12th Manchesters south of the canal came under heavy bombardment, leading to the cancellation of a planned relief that night. Next day A Company moved into a redoubt in the British line, where they suffered heavy casualties from shellfire. The battalion was finally relieved on 20/21 February; it was still in the rest camp when the rest of the division took part in a set-piece attack that recovered the Bluff.Edmonds, 1916, Vol I, pp. 164–72.

In late March the division moved south to the Armentières sector, with 12th Mancehsters moving into the front line on 22 March. The German artillery was very active in this area. In mid-May 12 Manchesters introduced the 2nd Battalion Otago Regiment of the newly arrived New Zealand Division to the sector before handing over to them. On 15 May 12th Manchesters marched out to the Zudausques training area behind the lines, where it spent the next month.

Somme The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was preparing for that summer's 'Big Push' (the Battle of the Somme), and 17th (N) Division was sent to join the newly formed XV Corps for this offensive. 12th Manchesters entrained at Saint-Omer for Amiens on 12 June and then marched to Poulainville where it resumed training. On 27 June the battalion left its billets and marched to Heilly, moving into the Bois des Tailles on the night of 30 June. When the assault was launched next day 17th (N) Division was in reserve and 52nd Bde was not involved in the disastrous First day on the Somme. Next day the battalion 'stood to' at 15 minutes' notice, while 17th (N) Division occupied Fricourt without fighting. On the night of 3/4 July the battalion took over captured German trenches beyond the village and next morning supported the brigades' successful attack on Quadrangle Trench. On 7 July the division was ordered to advance about over open ground to take Quadrangle Support Trench. The attack was launched in the dark, but the Germans were ready and the leading battalions of 52nd Bde were thrown back. At 07.25 the 12th Manchesters and 9th Bn Duke of Wellington's Regiment were ordered to make a second attempt at 08.00 when the neighbouring formations made their main attack. With so little warning the attack began late and the protective artillery barrage lifted before the troops reached the enemy line. Machine gun fire from Mametz Wood cut down most of the first (B and D Companies) and second wave (C Company). As the Official History relates, 'in broad daylight the two battalions had no chance of reaching Quadrangle Support over bare and open ground'. Lieutenant-Col Harrison was wounded while superintending the withdrawal of the survivors. The battalion lost 15 officers and 539 ORs killed, wounded and missing (many of the wounded being captured).Edmonds, 1916, Vol I, pp. 254, 363–8.Miles, 1916, Vol II, pp. 5–6, 20, 29–31.

12th Manchesters were relieved and sent by rail to Oissy to reorganise and refit. Major P.M. Magnay arrived to take command, together with large drafts of reinforcements. On 23 July the battalion moved back to bivouac near Albert as part of XV Corps' reserve. It rejoined 52nd Bde on 1 August, moving into brigade support in the old German second line trenches between Longueval and Bazentin-le-Petit. As part of the Battle of Delville Wood, 52nd Bde was ordered to attack Orchard Trench (running into the wood) at 00:40 on 4 August. 12th Manchesters and 9th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers led. The field artillery laid down an intense 5-minute barrage before Zero hour, but the German artillery caught the attackers with high explosive and gas shells and their machine guns opened up. Communications were cut, and it was not until 04.35 that Divisional HQ learned of the failure of the attack and the heavy casualties incurred. (The battalion's casualties for August were five officers and 169 ORs.)Miles, 1916, Vol II, pp. 185–6.

Once again the battalion was withdrawn into reserve and went to Carnoy to reorganise. It provided some working parties and did some trench holding, but on 11 August was pulled out and sent to Souastre. By the end of the month it was trench-holding in a quiet sector. At the end of September it began intensive training and returned to the frontline trenches near Le Transloy on 30 October, where part of the division captured Zenith Trench on 2 November. In places the trenches were waist-deep in mud and suffered from sporadic German shelling. The offensive came to an end and 17th (N) Division was relieved in mid-November. 12th Manchesters went to Saisseval for rest and training.Miles, 1916, Vol II, pp. 469–70.

12th Manchesters returned to the front in December, first in reserve at Guillemont, then holding the frontline trenches on the Ancre Heights from 25 December. There were some operations along the Ancre in early 1917, and 8 February 52nd Bde captured a trench overlooking Sailly-Saillisel. 12th Manchesters provided carrying parties (A Company) and garrisons for captured strongpoints (B Company) as counter-attacks were beaten off. The battalion suffered 54 casualties.Falls, 1917, Vol I, pp. 85–6.

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