Research since 2002
has found 201 men either
born, commemorated or
living in the village
who fought in the war
– 43 paid the ultimate
sacrifice.
One of the first
casualties from Brindle
was Lance Corporal James
Pearson of Tyson Cottage,
Top o’th’ Lane. He was
killed in action with
the 1st Bn. of The Loyal
North Lancs. at the
Battle of Aisne on the
14th September 1914,
being part of the BEF
(British Expeditionary
Force) that the German
Kaiser was to call a
“Contemptible little
Army”.
Seven men from the
village who either lived
at Top o’th’ Lane or
worked at Withnell Fold
paper mill, just across
the Leeds-Liverpool
Canal, all joined the
Cameronians (Scottish
Rifles) at Chorley recruiting
office on the 2nd January
1915.
On 29th March 1915
the minutes of the Parish
Council recorded that
“The Council, with power
to add to their number,
form a Recruiting Committee
in Brindle”. Whilst
in May Capt. Meyrick
Hollins marched his
Company through Hoghton,
Brindle, Gregson Lane
and Higher Walton, holding
a recruitment at each
place (he served in
the Loyal North Lancs.).
Villagers raised
£13.14s.3d “towards
a hut for our Soldiers
at the Front” in June
1918.
The Register of Electors
of 1918 showed 91 men
who were “Absent Voters”
(absent on military
service), but this list
only recorded those
men over the age of
21. Twenty six men came
from one street alone
at Bournes Row, some
56 houses all tied or
owned by the adjacent
cotton mill. It did
not record the young
men who joined or were
called up at 18 – “too
young to vote but old
enough to die”.
Pt Robert
PROCTOR
The list of men from
the village fought in
World War One, includes
Richard Hunter from
Little Radburn Farm.
The oldest was Lt. Colonel
Jacques, killed at Gallipoli
aged 48 years of age;
the youngest was Robert
Proctor of Oak Bank
who enlisted at 16 years
of age and served on
the Ypres Salient. There
were one set of twins,
30 sets of brothers
(all three from one
family were killed,
four from another all
survived) and one father
and son (both died).
There were two Sailors,
four Airman and eight
Officers, whilst two
Military Crosses (MC),
two Distinguish Conduct
medals (DCM) and four
Military medals (MM)
were won.
