On 28th August 1914, just three weeks after Britain had declared war on Germany, Lord Derby addressed a packed meeting in Liverpool. He suggested the formation of "a battalion of Pals ... in which friends from the same office will fight shoulder to shoulder for the honour of Britain and the credit of Liverpool". Three days later, 1,050 men were recruited at St George's Hall, into what became the 17th Battalion. By the end of November thousands more men had enlisted, forming the 18th, 19th, 20th and two reserve battalions. (Pictured above are the 17th Pals Band and men of the 19th Battalion).

Tony Wainwright is Secretary of the Liverpool Pals Memorial Fund. His interest in the Pals sprang from a Battlefield Tour in 2009, when he visited the Liverpool Pals memorial in Montauban, a small French village which was liberated on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. He started to research each of the 2,800 men who never made it home to their loved ones. Since that time, he has been heavily involved in promoting the Pals' story, and fundraising to achieve the unveiling of a memorial in their home city. This event will take place in Lime Street Station on 31st August 2014 - the Centenary of the very first men volunteering to join the Pals.

Tony will talk about the history of the Pals from their formation right through to the end of the Great War, and the return of some of the Pals from active service in Russia in September 1919. He will give details of the battles they fought in, and add local flavour by selecting some Wavertree men to illustrate the talk.