Lives of the First World War

On the outbreak of war the 5th Battalion was a Territorial Force unit with it's Headquarters at Mill Street, Burnley. H (Bacup) Company was the local infantry unit that recruited from both Bacup and Rawtenstall and this community records those soldiers resident in the Borough of Rawtenstall known to have been serving in H (Bacup) Company in August 1914. The bulk of the Company being recorded as resident in the adjacent Borough of Bacup. Rawtenstall was the home of an ASC Company based at the Drill Hall, Cloughfold which is remembered in IWM Community "Borough of Rawtenstall: The Drill Hall, Cloughfold". A similar mix of personnel occurred between these two communities with the geographical predominance here leaning towards Rawtenstall. War was declared on the night of 4th August 1914 and the order for mobilization was received on the following morning. The men of the 5th Battalion from the outstation at Bacup mustered at their Drill Hall and marched to their Headquarters in Burnley. The Battalion remained there until 19th August 1914 when it marched to Bury and took up quarters in Chesham Fold Camp where it remained for nearly three weeks. The Rossendale Free Press reported "Crowds were even larger when the 5th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment, complete with regimental band, passed along Bank Street and Bury Road. Their splendid marching precision won the heartiest enthusiasm from the crowds. Of 1,020 men, 923 have volunteered for foreign service and thousands lined the streets." On 7th September 1914 orders were received that the East Lancashire Brigade was to embark at Southampton for Egypt.

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