The First Parade of the 2nd Manchester Pals

Sergeant Frank Ewart Chandler. Courtesy Andrew Chandler

Thanks to Andrew, the Great Grandson of Platoon Sgt. Frank Chandler we have this amusing & surprising anecdote about the Pals first march to Heaton Park from Ardwick Town Hall.

“…we were led off by a very stalwart ex-soldier…Sergeant-Major Oddy. And he was the only officer [sic] in charge and it was a tribute to the enthusiasm of people that they got into fours and stuck into fours, but … there were rather a large number of halts. And every time we halted, it was at a pub…Oddy would resort to the pub, accompanied by a few of the men … but I remember Oddy finished the path supported on one side by two or three men and the other side by two or three men.”

RSM Oddy was later discharged – probably best…

Sergeant Chandler was later transferred to the Special Brigade of the Royal Engineers and commissioned.  He was wounded in 1918 and celebrated the Armistice with a swim in the sea off Scarborough.