They may originally have been drawn from the legal, financial and stockbroking sectors, but the men of the 6th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment proved themselves in battle at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in 1918. Their story is recounted by author WFA Member John Hartley in his book "Not a Rotter in the Lot" (Pen and Sword, 2010).
On Friday, 25 March 2011, between noon and 1pm, John will be signing copies of his book in the Museum of the Manchester Regiment at Ashton-under-Lyne Town Hall. It usually costs £25, but on this occasion the first 40 copies will be offered for £18.
John, who lives in Gatley, became interested in the Great War when he worked in Ashton, and often visited the Museum of the Manchester Regiment. The battalion, a pre-war Territorial unit, was sent to Egypt in September, 1914, where the recruits undertook their basic training. It was involved in the Gallipoli campaign in the latter half of 1915 and then returned to Egypt
In the spring of 1917 the battalion was posted to France and saw regular action for most of 1918. It came under attack in the Kaiser's Offensive and once this had been repulsed took part in the advance to victory. It was still going forward when the Armistice was signed in November.
"Not a Rotter in the Lot" also tells the story of the second line battalion, the 2/6th Manchesters, from its inception in 1914 until it was all but destroyed in March, 1918. John Hartley draws on official records and personal accounts to tell the story of these fine battalions. This hardback volume, published in January, has 272 pages and a large number of photographs and maps, many from the Regimental Archive Collection (ISBN: 9781848843288).
You can buy this book from Pen and Sword.
The book is also currently under review for the WFA website.
