The Great War - WW1
Sacrifice on the Somme
In December 1915 the British and French began to lay plans for a big joint offensive on the Somme, where their lines met. For most of the war this had been a quiet sector where battalions had, on occasion, drilled undisturbed on open fields in full view of the enemy. After the exhausting struggle at Verdun, the burden of the fighting in this sector was to be shouldered by the British Third and Forth Armies. Their extensive preparations were noted by the Germans, who strengthened their front-line defences to meet the attack announced by a massive bombardment which began on the 24th of June 1916.
The British high command confidently expected that the bombardment, which expended over 1.5 million shells, many of which were duds, would break up the German barbed wire, bludgeon their batteries into silence and entomb the defenders in their dug-outs. They were wrong on all counts. At 7:30am on the hot morning of July the 1st, the bombardment moved on to the second German line. The German machine gunners emerged from their dug-outs, shaken but mostly unscathed, to pour a withering fire into the British divisions advancing at a walking pace across 'no man's land'.
Sergeant J. Galloway recalled the advancement of British troops; ' I could see, away to my left and right, long lines of men. Then I heard the patter-patter of machine guns in the distance. By the time I'd gone another 10 yards there seemed to be only a few men left around me; by the time I had gone 20 yards, I seemed to be on my own. Then I was hit myself'.
By nightfall the British had lost 60'000 men, 19'000 of which had lost their lives. The offensive ground on, making only minor gains. On the 15th of September British tanks were used to pierce the German line south of Bappaume, but there was no breakthrough, only autumn rain and seas of mud. The Battle of the Somme ended on the 18th of November, by which time the British had suffered some 420'000 casualties and the Germans a very similar number. All idealism about the conduct of the war died on the Somme.
By nightfall the British had lost 60'000 men, 19'000 of which had lost their lives. The offensive ground on, making only minor gains. On the 15th of September British tanks were used to pierce the German line south of Bappaume, but there was no breakthrough, only autumn rain and seas of mud. The Battle of the Somme ended on the 18th of November, by which time the British had suffered some 420'000 casualties and the Germans a very similar number. All idealism about the conduct of the war died on the Somme.