The call to arms begins after war with Germany was declared.
The territorial force was being mobilised for the first time in his history , five teen thousand men were assembling at various locations across Greater Manchester and the horses of the Manchester artillery had taken over Manchester city’s ground.
Manchester Corporation decided to give all reservists in their employ half pay while they were away fighting.
In Salford, men assembled with each handed a metal disc bearing his name and number.
The Fourth Manchester’s were pictured at Ardwick Green marching with fixed bayonets, while at Victoria station, reservists were packing onto trains to Bury.
There was though controversy as arriving, accompanied by friends and wife’s and in some cases children they were told that they could not wave them off on the platform unless they obtained a penny ticket.
The news coming back across the continent was of fierce fighting at the outskirts of Liege in Belgium with German troops said to be 80,000 in number and with many other towns being bombarded.
The Lord Mayor of Manchester tells the public, there is no fear at all but that we will do everything that is necessary.
The Manchester Ship canal was already at a standstill and the cotton mills were considering short time working as freight began to dry up.
Manchester’s papers were carrying adverts for recruitment:
“Your king and country need you will you answer your country’s call the empire is on the brink of the greatest war in the history of the world all young unmarked men should rally around the flag and enlist in the ranks of her army.”
