The First Battle Of The Somme, lasted between July 1 to November 13, 1916. It was known as the Somme offensive, fought during the First World War, the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic went up against the German Empire.
With the intent of quick victory over the Germans, the British army hit the German army with heavy artillery bombardment which did not prove futile against the heavily defended Germans. However, the British suffered heavy casualties with about 20,000 deaths on the first day of the attack.
During the Chantilly conference in December 1915, the French and British agreed and allied to run an offence on the Somme. The Allies drew up a formation of combined offensives against the Central Powers in 1916 by the French, Russian, British and Italian armies, with the Somme offensive as the Franco-British contribution.
The British troops which were made of the territorial force, a majority of untrained war volunteers were to support the French army which was to be in command of the major offensive launched against the Germans. However, the French commanders re-directed many of the diverted many of the divisions meant for the Somme offensive. This placed the “supporting” less equipped British forces at the centre of the repelling military bombardment.
With the British army suffering about 20,000 deaths on the first days, the worst loss recorded in British history, they also ensured the defeat of the German 2nd Army opposite the French Sixth Army. It was during the war that tanks were first used and the importance of air power was noted.
Gradually, the aggressive battle came to a tiring font affected by the sessional rains in October which resulted in an unnavigable battle field. The Somme offensive then could not proceed in the mud as November approached. However, Gen. Hubert Gough delivered a hit on the untouched wing of the main offensive.
Both sides suffered severe losses with the Germans containing about 650,000 casualties, the British 420,000 and the French 195,000. With over three million soldiers who fought during the war, a casualty of at least a million men was recorded making it one of the fiercest battles in history.
