Background

• The first day of the battle of the Somme was July 1st 1916.
• The plan: For one week, British guns would bombard German held trenches with heavy artillery. The British bombardment would destroy the German trenches and blast the German barbed wire to pieces. German troops would be shell shocked and surrender. At 7.30am the barrage would stop and British soldiers would walk in to no man's land. Some would carry heavy packs full of equipment to rebuild the German trenches as they captured them. When a suitable gap opened up, Cavalry would be used to gain ground.
• The battle of the Somme was named after the river Somme.
• The battle of the Somme lasted from July 1st - November 18th 1916
• The aim of the battle of the Somme was to relieve pressure on Verdun by attacking the Germans at another point along the front line.
• The battle of the Somme was fought between the Allies (Britain, France) against Germany.
• 5700 casualties including deaths (19000 deaths)
• Tanks introduced September 1916 but nobody really knew how to use the properly.