July 1st, 100 Years Ago: The Battle of the Somme

[Hauksbee]

 

 

 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/100th-anniversary-battle-somme-000000240/photo-p-british-troops-during-battle-photo-000000339.html

Edited June 30, 2016 by Hauksbee

[Olham]

THE Battle? Weren't there more than one?

[Capitaine Vengeur]

The bloodiest day in British military History. The second bloodiest may have been July 2. A German machine-gunner wrote: "Killing Tommies was like mowing wheat!"

 

Captain Wilfred Nevill, East Surreys, had bought four footballs, one for each of his platoons to dribble across the no-man's-land on this 1st of July. The outcome is easily predictable. Brave, probably. Foolish, certainly. Dead, absolutely.

[Wayfarer]

THE Battle? Weren't there more than one?

Olham, yes, I think in official British army histories, at least, there were a number of periods that were classed as battles of the Somme, from 1916 to 1918 (and possibly before, I am no expert).

In Britain, when people mention the 'Battle of the Somme' they are usually thinking about the operations that started in July 1916 (not counting the preliminary bombardment), and often particularly the attacks on July 1st, when the the British army suffered so many casualties.

 

I am guessing that the date may not have quite the stand out significance in France (compared to, say, the battles at Verdun) and Germany that it has for the British, although I know the overall period saw severe casualties on all sides.

I don't know if there is a particular period of WW1 that has a similar significance in Germany, so that it is more generally known that most other periods or actions during the war?

Edited July 4, 2016 by Wayfarer

[Hauksbee]

If the Somme doesn't stand out like Verdun (to the French) it may be due to the fact that the two should be considered one battle. The Germans attacked Verdun in February and the battle dragged on until December. The Somme, in July, was England's contribution. It was hoped that a British success (and the British were very optimistic) would cause the Germans to fall back from Verdun.In the end, the French defense and the British attack simply defined the concept of bloodbath.