9th Battalion
The XX Lancashire Fusiliers
WW1
July 1915 - Jan 1916
"Gallipoli
Attack on Hill 10 at Suvla Bay and Mudros"

Battle Sign



3084 Pte Thomas Dixon 9th Bn LF

" Pte Dixon. This shows he was posted to the Dardanelles where he was shot in the wrist and sent to Egypt to recover. Subsequently posted to France where he received shrapnel injuries to his left arm in September 1916. Posted back on the line and was killed on 7th Jan 1917.
Sent in by grandson, Steve Johnson.

The Concentration of Graves, Burial return seems to suggest he was initially buried in ADANAC Military cemetery, but when they came to re bury him no body could be found, hence he is remembered at Thiepval."

 


CSM Bleackley DCM

Casualty Details
9979 THOMAS BLEACKLEY,
acting Company Serjeant Major
9th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers
Age: 29
Date of Death: 04/10/1916
Awards: DCM
Additional information: Son of Daniel Gee Bleackley and Sarah Ann Bleackley, of Heap Bridge, Bury, Lancs.; husband of Sarah Bleackley, of 60, Gaskill St., Heywood, Manchester.

In Memory of
Company Serjeant Major THOMAS BLEACKLEY
Grave No II. C. 11A.
ETRETAT CHURCHYARD

CSM Thomas Bleackley DCM medals are now in the museum they where handed to the museum by a Mr Stansfield who is the father of Lisa Stansfield and Thomas is Lisa's Great Grandad. The DCM has a bar on it which is the coat of arms of the Heywood Town Council (as was) and its in a leather presentation case


Part of the
London Gazette Edition, Issue 294601-February-1916
DCM awards

3482 Private S. Birtwistle, 9th Battalion, Lancashire
Fusiliers.
2249 'Corporal J. Blacklock, l/7th Battalion,
Lancashire Fusiliers, T.F.

9979 Acting Company Serjeant-Major T.
Bleackley, 9th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers.

Taken from The Heywood Advertiser
1916

DIED OF WOUNDS: Company Sergeant Major Thomas Bleackley, a Lancashire Fusilier, had been mentioned in dispatches earlier that year and was the holder of the DCM for gallantry at Sulva Bay the previous year after leading his men ashore under heavy fire after two officers had been killed. He organised the platoon, leading them into the attack. He died of severe wounds at a French hospital, received in another action. His widow, of Heap Bridge, was presented with his medal.


CSM Bleackley DCM is also mentioned below on the cutting in the Capt Brown story

Click here to read Capt Graham Browns Feature which includes letters home from the front
Captain Deans Graham Brown.



Enlisted into 18th Bn Royal Fusiliers 8th September 1914.

Transferred to the 9th Bn The XXth The Lancashire Fusiliers February 1915 .

7 July 1915 : sailed from Liverpool, landing Alexandria, and on to Mudros, completing concentration by 28 July 1915.

7 August 1915 : landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli

Wounded on day one of the battle of Suvla Bay and taken to hospital in Alexandria.

Casevaced to UK Hospital until recovered and then various courses until rejoining the war in France with the 19th Bn The XXth The Lancashire Fusiliers.

June 1916.
Click on the Black writing its a link to the report of these Battles
(put your mouse over the Black writing and press the lefthand button on the mouse once)

The Battle of Albert (first phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Bazentin (second phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Pozieres (third phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette (sixth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)

http://www.1914-1918.net/bat15.htm


The Battle of Poelcapelle (sixth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres
http://www.1914-1918.net/bat20.htm


The Battle of Messines, 1918 (second phase of the Battles of the Lys)
The Battle of Bailleul (fourth phase of the Battles of the Lys)

In the above action, the Division played a part in the Defence of Neuve Eglise

The First Battle of Kemmel (fifth phase of the Battles of the Lys)
The Second Battle of Kemmel (seventh phase of the Battles of the Lys)
http://www.1914-1918.net/bat23.htm


The Pursuit to the Selle
http://www.1914-1918.net/bat30.htm


The Battle of the Selle
The Battle of Valenciennes
http://www.1914-1918.net/bat33.htm

At the end of the war, Captain Deans Graham Brown went to the 3rd Bn The XXth The Lancashire Fusiliers in Bury Lancashire .

He was on the strength of the Depot at Bury until demob on Gallipoli Day 1921.




Thought to be men of the 9th Bn training on the streets of Hull in 1914, prior to their deployment overseas.