THE author of a new book on an Accrington Pal – who survived the Battle of the Somme – will give a free-to-attend talk at Accrington Library, tomorrow.

Accrington-born Private Jack Smallshaw was one of the first young volunteers to enlist with the ‘Pals’ battalion that was raised by the town's mayor John Harwood.

When recruitment began on September 14, 1914, 104 men were accepted in the first three hours.

Brothers, cousins, friends and workmates enlisted together, and the Accrington battalion all but reached a full strength of 1,100 men within 10 days.

They came from Accrington, as well as Burnley, Chorley and Blackburn.

As an Accrington Pal, Jack belonged to the 11th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, which will always be remembered for the appalling tragedy which befell them on the killing fields of the Somme.

Jack’s personal account of his Great War service was published this summer by Helion & Company, coinciding with the Somme centenary.

Lancashire-born Steve Corbett has supplemented Private Smallshaw’s writings with his own extensive research – going through the war diaries and narrative accounts of the brigades and battalions which served with the 31st Division throughout the Great War to compile 'An Accrington Pal. The Diaries of Jack Smallshaw, September 1914 – July 1919'.

Said former gunner Steve, who completed two operational tours of duty in Northern Ireland in the 1970s: "I grew to know Jack quite well during the course of writing the book. Throughout the course of the war, I could trace the deterioration of his health, which was caused by long days and nights spent in appalling conditions while manning the frontline trenches.

"I also went into considerable depth when covering some of the later engagements which the Accrington Pals were involved in, but the book is first and foremost about Jack. It is the story of how he survived four long years of fighting for his country.”

* The event takes place tomorrow on the first floor at Accrington library, at 11am. Steve will read extracts from the book and introduce some artefacts from the Great War. There will also a Q and A and refreshments.

Accrington Library is the home of the William Turner collection of photographs and artefacts from his research into the Accrington Pals as well as an extensive World War One collection – reputed to be one of the largest in the North West.

Copies of Steve's book can be purchased at the event, or online at www.helion.co.uk.