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from The Manchester Evening News,
Thursday September 3, 1998
GREAT SURVIVOR
by Max Arthur
 MIKE Lally,who celebrated his 104th birthday yesterday (pictured
above), is the oldest surviving "Old Contemptible". At 20, he was a private in
the 2nd Battalion The Manchester Regiment when it crossed to France in August 1914 as part
of the British Expeditionary Force.
The BEF put up such a good fight that Raiser Wilhelm
ordered his generals to "exterminate" General French's "contemptible"
little army.
"Well he didn't do that, did he!" says Mike,
laughing defiantly in his room at a Blackley nursing home.
"I think one of the reasons why I survived was because
life was so hard before I joined the army" Mike was born in Whitehead Buildings,
Oldham Road, Manchester, one of eight children. He was brought up in Stocks Street,
Cheetham, and went to St Chad's school until he was eight when he was sent away to Mill
Street Industrial School. There he was taught shoemaking, but he was always playing
truant, swimming naked in the canal. He was caught and sentenced to three strokes of the
birch for what the headmistress called 'showing your person'.
Defiant as ever, he was again caught swimming and this time
was sent to the Approved School, St Joseph's, Longsight.
Hard as life was, Mike received a sound musical education.
In 1909 the great American composer of marches, John Philip Sousa, came to Manchester and
conducted the local boys' bands. Mike had written the words to a song and Sousa named it
My Boys. "We played that every time we marched down the street," Mike remembers
proudly.
Mike joined the Manchester Regiment when he was 16. In 1913
it was sent to Ireland to deal with the Troubles. While the Regiment was playing football,
they were stoned by the locals. "Nothing much has changed," he says ruefully.
Later, in the first attack in France, he saw the British
cavalry charge against the German trenches. "They came up against barbed wire and had
no chance. They were shot at point blank range. What was left of the horses came back with
those fine-boned lads, flopped dead over their saddles. It was a terrible sight."
He had his 20th birthday in the mud of the Western Front.
When he received  100 francs for officially becoming a man soldier,
his sergeant, Hogan [pictured right], took it from him and spent it on drink when they
were away from the front line. This really annoyed Mike.
By October, the Manchesters were fighting a rearguard
action.In one particular fierce attack, the Germans advanced and not only forced them to
retreat but took 12 prisoners. Sgt Hogan called for volunteers and went over the top.
He launched a bayonet charge against the surprised enemy,
and not only came back with the prisoners, but with several Germans as well. For this
action, he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Many years later, Mike was walking near Piccadilly station
in Manchester when he saw a man standing in the street selling matches.
He thought he recognised him and asked if he was Hogan, who
replied, "Yes, do you know me?"
Mike said: "I was in the trench when you brought back
our prisoners and got your VC."
"What's your name?" said Hogan.
"Well, you had a hundred francs off me on my 20th
birthday and spent them in the village."
"Bloody hell," said Hogan, "it's
Lally!"
Mike fought in some of the worst battles of the war,
including the Somme in 1916. Because of the Regiment's casualties, at 22 he became their
acting Sergeant Major.
When the British and Allied Forces launched the big push in
August 1918, Mike was seriously wounded in the advance. "I was in an open trench when
a shell came over and burst and shrapnel smashed into my face and hands." He lost his
trigger finger and the tops of two fingers of his left hand. Having recovered from his
wounds, he continued as a drill sergeant in the army for another 10 years. Thirty years
later a dentist removed fragments from his jaw.
He then worked in security and in the market in Manchester.
He is still active and full of wry humour and has a fund of stories.
Max Arthur is the author of The Busby Babes: Men Of
Magic. (Mainstream, £7.99). If you know of any other survivors of the First World War
please contact him on 0171 431 0063.
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