Manchester Hill
 

Welcome to the MLFHS Manchester Hill Challenge pages. It is hoped that everyone who would like to learn more about The 16th Battalion Manchester Regiment and the lives of some of the men that took part in the offensive can learn more here. Specific resources for the Manchester Hill Challenges can be found in the Manchester Hill Resource section.

You are welcome to get involved with any of the challenges. You may only wish to try one or two, or you may like to work your way through all six challenges. The choice is yours.

 


 

21st March 2018 marked the 100 year anniversary of the Battle of Manchester Hill. To commemorate this event there was a number of events in Manchester. One of the commemorative events was an exhibition at Manchester Central Library located at St Peter's Square, Manchester and featured creative writing by students from many of the Manchester schools who participated in this event.

Manchester Hill was an area of high ground just outside San Quentin in Northern France. It was so named because it was captured by the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment in 1917.

On March 21st 1918 at the start of what is known as the spring offensive the Hill was attacked by the German Army and defended by the 16th Battalion Manchester Regiment (part of the so called Manchester Pals). Despite heroic defence led by Lt. Col. Elstob (who was awarded a posthumous VC) the action was unsuccessful with many of the battalion or wounded by 4pm on that day.

On the following pages you will find six specially designed challenges based on information and original resource material to do with some of the men of the 16th Battalion who fought at Manchester Hill.

We hope that by doing some of these challenges you will learn something about family history research, the First World War and discover more about the brave men of the Manchester Regiment who fought and died at Manchester Hill.