Starting from Liverpool, Manchester and London, the phenomenon of 'Pals battalions' quickly spread across the country, as local recruiting committees offered complete units to the War Office (WO).

Many local miners joined, the men from Houghton Main Colliery arriving from Darfield by motor bus and then marching to the Public Hall to enlist (they formed the bulk of B Company).

Each day the men paraded in the square in Regent Street, then marched to the Queen's Ground for drill, still in civilian dress until temporary uniforms could be obtained.

The new 94th Bde was concentrated in May at Penkridge Bank Camp on Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, where it was joined by the Accrington Pals (11th East Lancashire Regiment) in place of the Grimsby Chums.

[3][4][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] On 29 November 1915, 31st Division received warning orders to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, and advance parties set out for the embarkation ports of Folkestone and Southampton.

At the last minute, the destination was changed to Egypt, the advance parties were recalled, and on 26 December the troops embarked at Devonport, the 13th and 14th Y&L aboard HM Transport Andania, with some men of 14th Y&L working to make up for a shortage of ship's stokers.

The rest of the Barnsleys sent parties forwards from their billets at Mailly-Maillet for instruction in Trench warfare by 48th (South Midland) Division and then took responsibility for their own section of line on 3 April.

The battalions spent several periods in April–June holding the line in front of Colincamps, suffering their first battle casualties from enemy shellfire and trench raids.

Both Barnsley battalions went back into the line on 15 July, but were short of men: the 13th Y&L mustered 15 officers and 469 other ranks (ORs) when it arrived at Neuve-Chappelle, and suffered another 48 casualties during a 12-day spell in the trenches.

These patrols entered Serre, and over following days the division's advanced guards continued forwards, skirmishing with German rearguards and dealing with booby-traps.

[9][10][61][62][63][64] On 9 April First Army captured Vimy Ridge, and next day 31st Division moved up in case it was required for exploitation as the Arras Offensive developed.

Late in June First Army began a series of feint attacks to draw attention away from the Ypres Salient where the BEF was planning a new offensive.

The British covering artillery was so powerful that the assaulting troops met little resistance, taking Gavrelle Mill and Oppy Wood with very few casualties.

[3][4][75][76][77][78][79] When the German spring offensive opened on 21 March 1918, 31st Division was in GHQ Reserve and was immediately sent by ex-London buses to assist Third Army.

On the night of 22/23 March it reinforced VI Corps and 93rd Bde went up to Boiry-Saint-Martin, south of Arras, where it carried out a partial relief of 34th Division.

Heavier fighting had been going on further south round Mory, and during the night of 23/24 March 93rd Bde sideslipped about 1,000 yards (910 m) in that direction, taking up position in a 'switch' line north of the River Sensée.

At daybreak on 26 March it was discovered that a 1,500 yards (1,400 m) gap had opened up between 31st and Guards Divisions: 13th Y&L and 18th DLI of 93rd Bde, which should have occupied the space, had been ordered to fall further back by the acting Brigade major, who had been disorientated by the effects of a near-miss by a shell.

However, the Germans had pushed into Moyenneville and occupied the ridge behind, their machine guns forcing the 13th Y&L and 18th DLI to halt and dig in 1,000 yards (910 m) short of the village.

Although the 15th/17th West Yorks carried out a successful counter-attack, forcing the enemy off the ridge and out of Moyenneville, the Germans attacked the village again at 12.30 in greater strength and with artillery support.

Although fighting continued, the main weight of the German offensive had switched to the Arras sector, and 31st Division could be relieved during the nights of 30/31 March and 31 March/1 April.

Delivered by 13th Y&L and 18th DLI at dusk (19.00) this was entirely successful, not only recapturing La Becque but regaining 40th Division's line and re-establishing touch with the formations on either flank.

Although weak, these troops covered the detrainment at Hazebrouck of 1st Australian Division, who took over the line and drove back the enemy attacks on 14 April.

Over the following weeks it received reinforcements (though many were under 19), and it began to take its turn holding the line, in front of the Forêt de Nieppe, facing La Becque farm.

On 28 June the 13th Y&L and 18th DLI held the line while 15th/17th West Yorks carried out a surprise attack that took the German positions with only light casualties.

[9][10][98][99][100] Second Army carried out a formal attack on the morning of 28 September (the Fifth Battle of Ypres) and 31st Division was ordered to watch for opportunities and take advantage of enemy weakening.

It then met Germans rearguards at Ash Crater and its advance was slowed by machine gun fire, but after a little resistance in some pillboxes the enemy withdrew methodically.

[9][10][80][101][102][103][104] The division began to pull back on 13 November, and by the end of the month was established in camps south of St-Omer and engaged in road repair.

Some 900 former members of the Barnsley Pals, many disabled by wounds, paraded on the Queen's Ground and were inspected by Lt-Col Sir Joseph Hewitt and Col William Raley.

After 31st Division was reorganised in February 1918, 13th Bn moved to 93rd Bde, whose sign was a square divided diagonally, white upper right, red lower left, worn on the back beneath the collar.

In addition, all ranks wore a horizontal rectangle on both arms divided green over yellow over blue, those being the colours of the three Y&L Pals battalions before amalgamation.