Battle of the Somme

July 1 – November 18, 1916 · Western Front Theater

Phases

1. 1July 1 — The CatastropheJuly 1, 1916 — 7:30 AM
2. 2July–September — Attritional AdvanceJuly–September 1916
3. 3October–November — EndOctober–November 18, 1916

July 1, 1916 — 7:30 AM

After a week-long artillery bombardment, 120,000 British and French troops go over the top at 7:30 AM on July 1, 1916. German defenders emerge from their deep concrete bunkers (which had survived the bombardment) and open fire. By nightfall: 57,470 British soldiers are dead or wounded — the bloodiest day in British military history. Some battalions lose 80% of their strength in minutes.

• ●British assault line — 14-mile front
• ●German defensive line — deep concrete bunkers survive bombardment
• ●Beaumont-Hamel — Newfoundland Regiment destroyed in minutes
• ●Thiepval — repeated British assaults fail all day
• ●Schwaben Redoubt — German strongpoint; 12 machine guns