Overview
Heavy casualties among its regular army in the opening months of World War I forced the British to dig deep into their work force for manpower. Locally raised units often were technically service battalions of regular regiments, but kept their own distinctive character. Newcastle's volunteers were part of the Northumberland Fusiliers, but are better known by their local titles.Both Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish battalions were raised, and engaged in a keen rivalry, tragically ironic in retrospect, to see which community could first bring its units up to full strength. Newcastle's Scottish and Irish brigades served together, and first saw action during the great Somme offensive of July 1, 1916. For over half the formation, their first day of battle was to be their last.
Synopsis
Heavy casualties among its regular army in the opening months of World War I forced the British to dig deep into their work force for manpower. Locally raised units often were technically service battalions of regular regiments, but kept their own distinctive character. Newcastle's volunteers were part of the Northumberland Fusiliers, but are better known by their local titles.
Both Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish battalions were raised, and engaged in a keen rivalry, tragically ironic in retrospect, to see which community could first bring its units up to full strength. Newcastle's Scottish and Irish brigades served together, and first saw action during the great Somme offensive of July 1, 1916. For over half the formation, their first day of battle was to be their last.