Out of interest, I asked Perplexity AI about the two battalions in WWI. Here is my (poorly worded) question and the answer ( I haven’t repaired the formatting), and I will post the sources in the next replay as some of them may be useful. I can’t judge how good the answer is.
In WWI, (England), what were the histories of the 13th and 18th battalions of the Manchester Regiment?
The 13th and 18th Battalions of the Manchester Regiment played distinct roles in World War I, with the 13th serving primarily on the Western Front and the 18th participating in pivotal Somme offensives as part of the "Manchester Pals."
### 13th (Service) Battalion
- **Formation**: Created in Ashton-under-Lyne in September 1914[4][5].
- **Deployment**: Trained at Eastbourne, Seaford, and Aldershot before arriving in France in September 1915 with the 22nd Division[4][5].
- **Combat History**:
- Occupied trenches near **Hébuterne** and **Foucaucourt** by early 1916, facing frequent artillery shelling and sniper activity[4].
- Conducted raids in May 1916 near **Ferne du Bois**, including a successful grenade attack on German trenches, resulting in Military Medals for bravery[4].
- Supported the **Battle of the Somme** in July 1916, participating in a failed attack near **Maltz Horn Farm** alongside French forces[4].
- In July 1918, absorbed the **29th Battalion** and returned to France under the 14th (Light) Division[5].
### 18th (Service) Battalion (3rd City Pals)
- **Formation**: Raised in Manchester in August 1914 as part of the "Manchester Pals" by the Lord Mayor[1][5].
- **Deployment**: Joined the **30th Division** and landed in France in November 1915[1][5].
- **Combat History**:
- Fought in the **Battle of the Somme** (July 1916), attacking **Guillemont** on 30 July. During this action, **Company Sergeant-Major George Evans** earned the Victoria Cross for delivering a critical message under heavy fire[1][2].
- Suffered catastrophic losses at **Manchester Hill** during the 1918 German Spring Offensive, where Lieutenant-Colonel Wilfrith Elstob declared, “Here we fight, and here we die,” before being killed[1].
- Disbanded in February 1918 at **Haut Allaines** due to heavy casualties[5].
Both battalions exemplified the Manchester Regiment’s resilience, with the 13th enduring prolonged trench warfare and the 18th becoming synonymous with the sacrifice of the Pals battalions.
