Prelude

The battle that defines the bloody nature of the First World War for the British...

It was a massive operation of British and French forces intended to achieve an important victory over the Germans on the Western Front

The attack was launched upon a 30 kilometers front

the German defenses consisted of three lines

on 24 June 1916: 7-day preliminary bombardment

The expectation was that the bombardment would destroy all German defenses.

The allies fired 1,738,000 shells.

30% of the shells failed to explode.

Allie artillery was unable to neutralize the German artillery

The British commanders were confident the German defenses were destroyed... That was the absolutely crucial mistake...

on 1 July 1916: The first day of the Somme offensive

The British army attacked north of the Somme with 14 infantry divisions

The French attacked south of the Somme with 5 divisions.

Allies expected, after the furious bombardment of enemy lines, an easy walk onto the German lines.

Instead, they were met by terrible German fire

The Bloody day resulted in 57,470 British casualties and 2,000 French casualties.

This first day of the battle was the bloodiest in British military history.

The British did not achieve the quick breakthrough and the Somme became a deadlocked battle.

The third phase of the battle was characterized by ruthless British attacks and equally determined counterattacks of German forces

From 2 to 13 July: Fourth Army fought to establish positions to cover the flanks of an assault on the German second defensive line.

on 14 July: Approximately 6 km of the German line is seized.

By mid-July to mid-september: Ally forces captured strategic positions to prepare attack on the German third line of defenses with a new weapon, the tank (the British Mark)

Of 49 tanks, only 36 reached their starting points. The tanks failed to have a crucial impact.

They were, too few, too massive and too vulnerable to German artillery fire.

13 to 19 November: The last act of the Somme offensive

Allies failed to achieve all of their objectives

At the end...

Wet winter weather and snow put an end after 140 days of fighting

The allies had advanced only 13 km into German-held territory

Allied losses were estimated at 623,000 420,000 British and 200,000 French soldiers had been killed

German losses were estimated at 500,000-660,000

Battle of the Somme was one of the bloodiest battles in human history

Interesting facts

The Allies lost around 55 men per one meter of gained territory.

The first major volunteered engagement in a war history until then: British Pals battalions. Battalions allowed friends, workmates and relatives to fight together. When a battalion was destroyed, it meant that majority of the men from a given place in Britain were killed.