Newcastle Commercials - Commemoration

 

To remember the part played by the 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (Newcastle Commercials) in the Battle of the Somme an evensong was held at Newcastle St Nicholas Cathedral 15th September 2016.

The origins of the Newcastle Commercials lie in Kitchener's Call To Arms in 1914 and the formation of the Pal's Battalions. The Newcastle and Gateshead Chamber of Commerce sought to raise a Newcastle Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers and received War Office approval to do so 0n 8th September 1914.

Recruiting began for what would become the first Battalion to be raised in Newcastle in World War One.

The first parade of the Newcastle Commercials was held on 15th September 1914 in St Nicholas Square next the Cathedral in Newcastle.

Many of the recruits came from the commercial business in Newcastle and Gateshead. Bainbridge's store supplied 60 men, officers were drawn from the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle. Players from Newcastle United volunteered. Three would alter loose their lives on the first day of the Somme.



Just before Christmas 1914 the Battalion moved to Alnwick. Arrangements were however made for the Rugby team to paly at the Northumberland County Ground in Gosforth to allow the team to pay against teams unable to travel to Alnwick.

16th NF Rugby Team 1914

The Battalion came under War Office control in April 1915 and in June 1915, Battalion was assigned to the  96th Brigade of the 32nd Division.

The Growler
Magazine of 16th Northumberland Fusiliers

After training at Alnwick, the Battalion moved to Salisbury Plain, consolidating with the rest of the Division. On the 22 November 1915 the Division deployed to the Western Front and landed at Boulogne.  The Battalion moved to the Somme Sector, near Amiens in preparation for the 'Big Push', the allied offensive on the Somme which intended to break through the German lines.

On the first day of the Battle of the Somme the 32nd Division. part of X Corps was tasked with assaulting the fortified village of Thiepval. The 16th were located in the area of the village of Authuille.

X Corps Attack 1st July 1916

 On the 1st July the Battalion would lead the assault of the 96th brigade on the right flank of the Division.



16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
1st July 1916
 

The men were confident that the preliminary bombardment would be successful......



Extract from letter Private Jas Harle 16 NF

At 07:30 am on 1st July 1916 the men of the Newcastle Commercials went over the top...

War Diary 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
1st July 1916

As the Battalion war diary recorded, Jas Harles "straight walk over" did not happen. The first day of the Somme resulted in over 60,000 casualties. On the 3rd July the Battalion War Dairy records the losses from the Newcastle Commercials...

"A roll call was held to which 8 Officers and 300 OR's answered their names, which made the casualties, killed wounded+missing, 13 officers + 365 OR's"

War Diary 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
3rd July 1916

 Amongst those killed was 16/1357 Private James Harle from Tow Law who went over the top with no 1 Platoon A Coy 16 NFwho had hoped that it would be a "straight walk over". Jas Harle is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial .

CWGC Private James Harle

 

Thiepval Memorial

 

Newcastle St Nicholas Cathedral

15th September 2016

Special Evensong to Commemorate the Newcastle Commercials

16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers

St Nicholas Cathedral
Newcastle Commercial Battalion Commemoration

At the Commemoration a replica Colour of the 16th Battalion was paraded. The  original Colour was presented on Newcastle Town Moor on 26th July 1920. This was part of a service where 25 of the Northumberland Fusiliers Service Battalions received their Colours by the Lord Lieutenant.


Presentation of Colours
Newcastle Town Moor 26th July 1920

The ravages of time have taken their toll on the colours and over the preceding century they have deteriorated and crumbled away. To ensure that the memory of the 16th Battalion carries on, a replica colour has been created.







VM Granddaughter of Nathaniel Caine
16th (Newcastle Commercials) Battalion
Northumberland Fusiliers  

And afterwards..... an opportunity to enjoy Newcastle Commercials Brown Ale .  

The evening also saw the launch of the Newcastle Heroes Project which is aimed remembering the 11 Battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers who went over the top on the 1st July 1916. The 16th Battalion at Thiepval, and at La Boisselle, the Tyneside Irish (24th - 27th Battalions NF) and the Tyneside Scottish (20th -23rd Battalions NF).

IJ Tyneside Scottish