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100 years ago: The incredible story of Pendlebury hero torpedoed by German submarine

In a very rare newspaper story from 100 years ago we hear the testimony of a local sailor whose crew was attacked by a First World War German U-Boat submarine. By...

100 years ago: Bravest Swinton teen, 17, saves CO under fire for Distinguished Conduct Medal

Tales of First World War bravery in the face of the terrible fury of enemy fire never fail to fascinate and this story from the Eccles and Patricroft Journal from...

100 years ago: A Salford soldier’s death foretold

Our final look at stories from the pages of the Salford City Reporter of August 1916 tells of the sad fate of Herbert Fletcher, 33, a soldier serving in the 7th...

100 years ago: Scandal in Cadishead as domestic leads to ‘Walk of Shame’

The eternal battle in journalism is to decipher what exactly is the difference between news in the public interest, and news that’s interesting to the public. This...

100 years ago: Revenge on German sniper who killed ‘splendid’ Swinton soldier

As the First World War continued to drag on through August 1916 the newspapers were becoming saturated with news of the deaths of local young men in France and Belgium....

100 years ago in Salford: ‘Rivers of blood’ threat sparks Broughton riot fears

When neighbours fall out things can quickly turn nasty, as this story of warring families in Salford shows. It was August 1916 and at this time, with soldiers overseas...

100 years ago: Mum ‘without hope’ loses three sons on same day at the Somme

The so-called Great War threw up daily tragedies for local people with family in the Armed Forces but this story from the Salford City Reporter of August 1916 is...

100 years ago: Brave Eccles cook who fought to enlist killed by stray shell

It would be a hard slog for 21-year-old Joe Baines to be accepted into the British Army. The pressure to enlist and fight overseas was immense if you looked healthy...

Then, Now, Always, Forever: Salford’s giant town hall tribute to Somme fallen

Huge banners unfurled at Salford city council headquarters in Swinton pay tribute to the thousands of Salford men who died at the Somme. The battle, which started on...

100 years ago: Canadian chancer jailed for ‘posing as Royal Navy Captain to pull women’

The pages of the Salford City Reporter of June 1916 told this amusing tale: a Canadian sailor charged with illegally wearing a Royal Navy uniform with the hope that...