Patrick Joseph Murphy, a native of Cheetham Hill and formerly employed by a firm of Dyers and Bleachers in Blackley, now a Private in the 15th Battalion, died on the 1st July 1916. The son of James and Ann Murphy and the husband of Beatrice Murphy, he had a daughter Eileen, whom he never saw.
Six months later, with no confirmation of his fate, his wife wrote to his commanding officer, asking for news.” Hoping you can give me some good news about my husband”
Patrick’s story is one of many told in a new exhibition opening this Friday, The Missing of the Somme, at The Bury Fusiliers Museum, which tells the stories of several Lancashire Fusiliers who have no known grave and whose names feature alongside many others on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing in France.
The stories are based on the work of Pam and Ken Linge who have dedicated a large part of their lives into researching each individual name on the Thiepval Memorial and to date have compiled information on over 12,000 men on their Database of the Missing.
Sarah Stevenson, Collections Manager at The Fusilier Museum, said: “We so often see names inscribed on war memorials, not knowing who these men were or what they did. This exhibition gives us an opportunity to share these untold stories of ordinary local men who gave their lives during the First World War. Their stories are both heart-breaking and fascinating in equal measure.”
The Lancashire Fusiliers contributed some 12 battalions (a battalion would consist of around 1,000 officers and men) to the Somme offensive which took place over a period of five-months.
Included amongst these battalions were the 1st and 2nd pre-war Regular battalions, the 2/5th, Territorial Force battalion and committed to battle for the first time, nine New Army or Service battalions including the 9th, 10th,11th, 15th (1st Salford), 16th (2nd Salford), 17th (1st South East Lancashire), 18th (2nd South East Lancashire), 19th (3rd Salford) and the 20th (4th Salford). It was the New Army or Service battalions that would acquire the nick name of “The Pals.”
On the 1st July all the Salford (“Pals”) battalions were committed to battle. The 15th and 16th (Service) Battalions took part in the attack at Thiepval, where the Somme Memorial to the Missing of the Somme now stands. It was designed by the famous architect Edwin Lutyens whose father Charles Lutyens, had been a regular officer in the Lancashire Fusiliers.
On that fateful day, the 15th Battalion suffered 470 casualties out of the attacking force of 624 while the 16th Battalion suffered 231 casualties. As a consequence, later in July both battalions were transferred to a quieter sector south east of Bethune. On the 1st July the 19th (Service) Battalion took part in the attack on the Leipzig Redoubt, but followed the 15th and 16th battalions to the Bethune Sector later in July where they were converted to pioneers. The 20th (Service) Battalion spent most of the Somme Offensive supporting operations in reserve.
