Lord Mayor of Leeds honours the sacrifices of First World War Leeds Pals

Councillor Dan Cohen, the Lord Mayor of Leeds, together with the Lord Mayor’s Chaplain, Rabbi Anthony Gilbert, who was acting as consort for the day, attended the remembrance event at the Leeds Pals memorial to mark the sacrifices of the servicemen who died at the Somme in 1916.

The Leeds Pals memorial, located at Colsterdale near Ripon, was erected in 1934 in recognition of the survivors, relatives and friends of the 15th Battalion West Yorkshire (Leeds Pals), and marks the site of the battalion’s first camp in September 1914. 

The upkeep of the memorial is funded by Leeds City Council and the Lord Mayor of Leeds is annually invited to lay a wreath at a service organised by the Royal British Legion. This year’s service was led by Father David Pickett, Leeds Royal British Legion Group Chaplain.

The First World War pals were specially constituted battalions of the British Army comprising men who enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and colleagues. 

The Leeds Pals, officially known as the 15^th Battalion (1^st Leeds), The Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment), was formed in the city from September 1914. Landing in France in March 1916, following service in Egypt, the battalion was thrown into action from the first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916, sustaining 528 casualties within minutes of zero hour. 

Rabbi Anthony Gilbert, The Lord Mayor’s Chaplain, was especially honoured and touched to be in attendance, saying: "My own great uncle was one of those valiant warriors who fell in battle at the young age of 21 with so many others who hailed from the Leylands."

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Dan Cohen, said: "It is so important that, as Lord Mayor, I make this journey, as have previous Lord Mayors, to lay a wreath and remember the service and sacrifice of these young Leeds men, who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country. 

“As the years pass it is all too easy to overlook this chapter of history - but each year we renew a pledge that we must stand by ... we will remember them."