Video: Prince Edward honours Barnlsey Pals

Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, officially opened the Barnsley Pals Centenary Square – new gardens and play-area fountains next to the Town Hall.

It will be a focal point, near the war memorial, to remind future generations of the brave Barnsley men who lived, worked, joined up, fought and died side-by-side in the First World War.

The Barnsley Pals were two battalions, the 13th, 1st Barnsley Pals and 14th, 2nd Barnsley Pals, of the York and Lancaster Regiment.

On the first day of the Battle of The Somme – on July 1, 1916 – 545 of them died in the trenches, as they took part in an attack on Serre.

The Prince unveiled a plaque in the Square, on the former Town Hall car park, where there are plans to site a further memorial to the Pals, which is expected to be commissioned next year.

He told a crowd of dignitaries, families, servicemen and cadets who gathered around the plaque: “This is a memorial to the Barnsley Pals and, as we head to the anniversary of the start of the First World War, it is a very timely moment to do this - in their memory.

“Thank you everybody for coming along today and inviting me to come along and do this.

“And congratulations to the council here who have done a fantastic job in remodelling this particular area - a dramatic improvement on the car park that was here before. And, presumably, much more popular.”

His visit also included a look around the new Experience Barnsley museum, inside the Town Hall itself - with a guided tour of The Romans Are Coming exhibition by curator and BBC TV historian Joann Fletcher.

He also met Duke of Edinburgh Award representatives, including the Ozone youth group and pupils from Kirk Balk Community College, Hoyland.

Then he experienced a new Sensory Pod, which is being used in schools to give students virtual experiences, from visiting mountain tops to the bottom of the sea. It is also used as a refuge for special needs youngsters.

Sir Steve Houghton, Barnsley Council leader, said: “We’ve had over 40,000 visitors to Experience Barnsley as a museum. Lots of those are spending time around the fountains, garden and the Square. It’s become a major tourist attraction in its own right. It’s been a big boost to the town centre economy. Another piece in the jigsaw to make sure we have a town centre fit for the future but once that also recognises its history.”