Memorial per commemorare il Preston Pals, D-Company Royal North Lancashire Reggimento, Grande Guerra, 1914-1918 targa alla stazione ferroviaria di Preston, PR1 5AB
The Preston Pals War Memorial was installed on Preston Railway Station in July 2012. Situated between platforms 3 & 4, it honours the men who volunteered to fight in World War One within 7th Battalion, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (now part of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment). Until the plaque was put in place there was no official Memorial to the Preston Pals, so a board of trustees was created by Andrew Mather to honour the men who left from Preston Railway Station on their fateful journeys Soon after the outbreak of war between Great Britain and Germany on 4 August 1914, Earl Kitchener, the War Minister, laid plans to raise a "New Army" of volunteer recruits. To aid this scheme, he encouraged local councils to establish what became known as Pals battalions, made up of groups of friends and neighbours who were keen to fight alongside each other, rather than being individually assigned to regular army regiments. The raising of the Preston Pals was first proposed by Mr Cyril Cartmell, son of the Mayor of Preston, Councillor (later Sir) Harry Cartmell. On 31 August 1914, Cyril Cartmell placed the following advertisement in The Lancashire Daily Post: "It is proposed to form a Company of young businessmen, clerks, etc, to be drawn from Preston and the surrounding districts, and be attached, if practicable, to a battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Will those who would like to join apply here any afternoon or evening this week – the earlier the better." Within two days, 250 local men had volunteered for service, and the "Preston Businessmen and Clerks' Company" — officially 'D' Company, 7th (Service) Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment —, was formed. Three other companies making up the 7th (Service) Battalion were filled by Pals from Blackpool, Kirkham, and Chorley. The men were medically examined at the Public Hall, and on 7 Sep 1914, the Pals paraded before an enthusiastic and patriotic crowd before boarding trains
