大象传媒

The posters read 鈥淲ake up Grimsby - young men do your duty鈥� as men signed up to the Grimsby Chums, the only 鈥榩als battalion鈥� of Kitchener鈥檚 Army to be known as 鈥楥hums鈥�.

The Earl of Yarborough allowed his estate at Brocklesby to become a training ground for the Chums, digging trenches and learning military drills. For some, their time at Brocklesby was an adventure where men would sneak out of the camp back to Grimsby. And in such short supply were khaki colours that old post office uniforms were issued during the training period.

After a passing out parade between Cleethorpes and Peoples Park, the Chums left for France in winter 1916. In the summer they fought at the Battle of the Somme where most were shot in the big push and few made it as far as German trenches before a retreat. News of the fallen worked its way back to Grimsby in mid-July.

In the years after the war the Brocklesby Estate held reunions for surviving Chums although memories of war were often locked away and rarely discussed.

Location: Brocklesby Park, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN41 8PN
Image of Grimsby Chums training
Photograph courtesy of Michael Thompson

Show less