9th Battalion Manchester Regiment

The 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force was a Pals Battalion based in Ashton under Lyne.

1914-15

Shortly after the outbreak of war the 9th Manchesters, as part of the East Lancs Division, mobilised and deployed to Egypt to protect the Suez Canal, to train and to acclimate to North African temperatures.

Kasr el Nil Barracks — Kasr-el-Nil Barracks, Cairo. Shown here from 1936 (Wellcome Library).

On May 9th, 1915 they landed at Sedd-el-Bahr under heavy fire at Gallipoli. They remained in Gallipoli for almost 8 months, leaving on December 29, 1915.

1916-17

In January 1916 the 1/9th Manchesters deployed to Egypt and spent the year there reconstituting their ranks with fresh recruits from England while guarding the Suez Canal from Turkish attack.

Bridge at Serapeum — Pontoon Bridge across the Nile at Serapeum (Australian War Museum).

In March 1917 they deployed to France where they remained for the duration of the war.