Barnsley Pals

by Jon Cooksey

To supplement the Regulars, British regiments raised community-based service battalions during World War I. Units from the industrial cities of northern England often took the title "Pals" to signify their local origins.

The camaraderie of these close-knit units soon turned to tragedy when entire neighborhoods were decimated on the Western Front. Barnsley is the first of a series of books on the Pals battalions, and is being reprinted to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the battle of the Somme, the Pals' most severe trial.

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

About the author

Jon Cooksey is a leading military historian who takes a special interest in the history of the world wars. He is the editor of Stand To!, the journal of the Western Front Association, and an experienced battlefield guide. His books include The Barnsley Pals, Calais, Harry’s War and, as editor, Blood and Iron.