Lives of the First World War

Dedicated to the Manchester Regiment

Major Rupert Edwards Roberts was an original officer of the 16th Battalion. In the spring of 1918 he had been attached to 90 Brigade's instructional school of which he was commandant. During the retreat he had valiantly led small detachments of stragglers from the 16th Manchester's and other units in the defence of positions along the Nesle - Noyan canal, between Buverchy and Ramecourt. He was severely wounded on the morning of the 26th of March and died of his wounds later in the day.

In the uniform of the 16th Manchesters

LEST WE FORGET.

The town of St Quenin in 1917, the catherdral dominated the area, which by 1918, had been reduced to a roofless and silent shadow of its former splendour.

Overwhelming concentrations of German troops, were assembled in St Quentin prior to their attack on the morning of the 21st of March 1918. On that morning the superiority of the German artillery and the fortuitous intervention of a dense spring mist meant that their advance was relatively unhindered by the British defence whose plans were thrown into disarray.

Battle flag in the chapel dedicated to the Manchester Regiment.

Memorial book in the chapel dedicated to the Manchester Regiment.

Memorial window in the chapel dedicated to the Manchester Regiment.