SIR - I wish to add to the article about the Bradford Pals (T&A, September 17). After Kitchener issued his call to arms, ‘Pals’ battalions were set up all over the country but starting in London.

The first ‘Pals’ battalion was the Stockbrokers’ Battalion, the 10th Service Battalion Royal Fusiliers, another was the Footballers’ Battalion, the 17th Middlesex. Bradford and Leeds applied to raise their battalions in September 1914.

The war had not reached a stalemate at this point ­— the British Army was retreating from Mons (200 miles in 13 days) while the French Fifth and Sixth Armies were moved into place to defend Paris.

The German advance was halted at the Battle of the Marne, a decisive French victory. On July 1 1916, there were not 2,000 men on the battlefield from the Bradford Pals at the start of the battle.

Neither battalion was up to strength and, under orders from their Brigadier-General, both left 10 per cent of their men out of the conflict.

The casualty figures for the 16th Battalion were 80 killed, 112 missing and 323 wounded, a 67 per cent casualty rate. The 18th Battalion suffered 70 per cent casualties. Both battalions were back in action in 1917.

Peter J Palmer, Buttermere Road, Bradford