The Pompey Pals Memorial Project
In partnership with Portsmouth Football Club and WRS Tech, The Pompey Pals Memorial Project successfully aimed to remember not just the fallen of the battalions but all those who served.
This was achieved through the production of two wonderful memorial stones by Dennis Johns and his company Stonerite Memorials which are accompanied by story boards explaining the story of the Pompey Pals.
At the outbreak of World War One Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, believed that the key to success would be overwhelming manpower and so set about looking for ways to encourage men of all classes to join the army.
In August 1914 the Portsmouth Citizens Patriotic Recruiting Committee chaired by the Lord Mayor J H Corke called upon the men of the city not already occupied in essential war work to form Portsmouth’s Own battalion. It was not long before the city, including the surrounding areas of Gosport, Havant, Cosham and Petersfield etc. had raised two battalions.
Formally known as 14th & 15th (Portsmouth) Battalions Hampshire Regiment like the other Pals battalions which formed a major part of Kitchener’s ‘New Army’ they saw service on the Western Front from the middle years of the war, and would face a baptism of fire on the killing grounds of the Somme. By the end of the war over 1400 of the Pompey Pals would have made the ultimate sacrifice.
WRS Tech is proud to be the main financial sponsor for the project but we would like to recogonise and thank everyone who was involved in organising the project.
For more information please take a look at the following links.
http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/article/pompey-to-pay-tribute-to-pals-1797172.aspx
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/video/news/pompey-pals-memorial-3713823260001
