Bradford Pals hero’s sacrifices remembered at special memorial service

A SPECIAL memorial service was held today to remember the sacrifices made by Bradford Pals on the first day of the Battle of the Somme – 108 years ago.

The Bradford Pals were part of the West Yorkshire Regiment which saw action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916 during the First World War.

Of the 1,400 Bradford Pals who went over the top at 7:30 that morning, an estimated 917 became casualties. More than 230 died on the battlefield or from wounds in the following days.

Today’s service was held at the Bradford Pals Memorial Stone in the Memorial Gardens behind Bradford Cenotaph at 11am.

The Last Post was played and a minute’s silence was observed, followed by Reveille.

Wreaths were laid and prayers said.

Councilor Beverley Mullaney, Mayor of Bradford, said: “The sacrifices of those young people in Bradford who came together to form the Bradford Pals and who gave so much during the First World War, and in particular the Battle of the Somme, are not it should never be. forgotten.”