Somme Commemorations for Wombwell Soldiers

Friday 1st July 2016

10am - Wombwell Library,
             Somme memorial coffee morning.

1pm   - Barnsley Town Hall,
            Unveiling Barnsley Pals memorial panels.

6pm - Wombwell Cemetery
           100 years commemoration of the Battle of the Somme,
           Hosted by the Friends of Wombwell Cemetery and the Royal British legion.

Barnsley Pals Memorial in Wombwell Cemetery

Monday 11th July  2016

1.45pm - Wombwell Park,
                Unveiling a memorial stone for all Wombwell soldiers who fought and fell in WW1.
                 hosted by the Friends of Wombwell Park and stone donated by Cooperative funeral care.

Barnsley Pals Memorial Panels

According to this article from the Sheffield Star online, two of the Barnsley Pals to be featured on panels outside Barnsley Town Hall are from Wombwell. Brothers Ernest and Fred Walker lived next door to each other on Princess Street at the time they enlisted. Fred and Ernest were killed on the first day of the battle of the Somme. Their Brother Charles was also killed in action on 1st July but he didn't live in Wombwell with his brothers.

At least 30 men from Wombwell died on the first day of the Somme. Over 10 of them were in the Barnsley Pals.

The Panels will be unveiled in a 40 minute ceremony at 1pm on Friday 1st July outside Barnsley Town Hall.

Installing the panels outside Barnsley town hall

Barnsley Pals Memorial Panels

Installing the panels outside Barnsley town hall

According to this article from the Sheffield Star online, two of the Barnsley Pals to be featured on panels outside Barnsley Town Hall are from Wombwell. Brothers Ernest and Fred Walker lived next door to each other on Princess Street at the time they enlisted. Fred and Ernest were killed on the first day of the battle of the Somme. Tragically their brother Charles was also killed in action on 1st July 1916, but unlike his brothers did not live in Wombwell.

At least 30 men from Wombwell died on the first day of the Somme. Over 10 of them were in the Barnsley Pals.  The commemorative panels will be unveiled in a 40 minute ceremony at 1pm on Friday 1st July outside Barnsley Town Hall. Items belonging to Fred Walker will be on display at Experience Barnsley from August as part of their Somme exhibition.

Ernest And Fred Walker.