Passchendaele Article for the Barnsley Chronicle

Back in July 2017 I had the opportunity to write an article for Pen & Sword books about the Barnsley men who fell during the Third Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele.) I wrote the piece on behalf of  The Barnsley War Memorial Project and it was printed in the Barnsley Chronicle on Friday 4th August 2017 to coincide with the anniversary of battle, which began on the 31st July 1917 and lasted until 10th November 1917.

Barnsley Chronicle 4th August 2017

I chose to write about three men who had died at different points during the offensive. Tom Drudy fell on the first day, his body was claimed by the Belgian mud, consequently he has no grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate instead. Frank Pettitt died of wound received on the 12th October 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele. Fitter Staff Sergeant Bernard Kilner was killed only six days later on the 18th October 1917, when he was hit by a shell while inspecting the guns. All their stories are told in greater detail on my other WW1 blog.