Museum of the Manchester Regiment

The Manchester Regiment Territorials 1914 - 1918

The Museum of the Manchester Regiment has mounted a special exhibition running from 4th July to 18th December 2008 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the modern Territorial Army (TA) and to mark the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

This exhibition, held at Ashton-under-Lyne Town Hall, aims to encourage both existing and new visitors to come and learn more about the Regiments Territorial Soldiers in the First World War.

During World War 1 thousands of men, from across Lancashire, from Wigan and Oldham through Manchester and Ashton joined Territorial battalions. Many volunteered to serve overseas, in the deserts of Egypt, the rocky lands of Gallipoli and the muddy trenches of the Western Front. Over 4000 of these men would not see their home and loved ones again. Each of these men will be remembered in a special art-installation, created using poppies, on display in the Museum during the exhibition.

Two special talks are also being held in the Museum during the course of the exhibition to highlight some of their experiences 90 years ago.

a) The history and use of the Machine Gun on Tuesday 28 October 2008 at 1pm in the Museum. This talk is free.
b) ‘The Manchester Territorials at War 1914-18’ at 7pm, on Thursday 18 December 2008 by Dr Bill Mitchinson of the Centre for First World War Studies, University of Birmingham. This talk is £2 per person and must be booked in advance, at the Museum.