The Battle of Somme
July 1st-November 18th, 1916
The battle of Somme was part of the main Allied offensive launched during 1916 on the Western Front that was planned in late 1915 as a both British and French attack. The plan was divised by Joseph Joffre commanded of the French forces to be a battle of attrition or in other words drain the German forces of men. Although he desired an offensive being launched from the flanders, new British Expeditionary Force(BEF) commander Sir Douglas Heig agreed to Joffre's plan. (Heig took his new position as the commander of the BEF on December 19,1915.) Both Joffre and Heig had planned that this would be a predominantly French offensive but due to the German attack on Verdun to 'bleed France white', French forces were diverted to Verdun to protect their lines. Thus intern making the offensive a now British offensive and resulting with the bulk of the troops being British.
Sir Douglas Heig along side General Rawlingson were incharge of the operation so starting on June 24th, Heig bombard the German trenches for eight days in an effort to destroy their defences making it easier for the British troops to advance. After the preliminary bombardment, 27 divisions contaning 750,000 men lined out on the frontline ready to lead the advance on a 48 mile front against the 16 divisions of Germans across 'No Mans Land'. General Rawlingson would be was incharge of the main assult at the center of the attack line while to the north General Edmund Allenby along with the British 3rd army and a cavalry division would breakthrought the German lines up there. To the south, General Fayolle and the French 6th army would advance towards Combles.
But unfortuneately, the British preliminary bombardment didn't destroy the German frontline barbed wire or their heavily constructed concrete bunkers where the German troops managed to stay protected from the British artillery. Plus most of the British artillery shells turned out to be duds and didn't do any damage to the German bunkers or hurt the troops.
The offensive started on July 1st at 7:30 with the detonation of 17 mines followed by the advancement of British and French troops across 'No Mans Land'(the area between the British and German trenches) in hope that they wouldn't incounter any German resistance. But since the German positions and bunkers remained intact and on higher ground,supirior German machine gun fire repelled the attacking British and French troops. On the first day of battle, the British suffered 58,000 casualities which holds the record on the most troops killed in one day. Many troops were either killed or wounded as the stepped out of their trenches or while they moved slowly packed down with supplies on 'No Mans Land' whom made very easy targets for German machine gunners.
With very little progress made on the first days and weeks of the battle and despite the heavy losses experienced on the first day, Sir Douglas Heig was determined to keep on fighting so he ordered General Rawlingson to keep on attacking the German trenches. On July 11th, Rawlingson and his forces were able to secure the first line of the German trenches and in a night attack on the 13th, a breakthrough was made in the German lines. But due to German reinforcements doubling the amount of defenders, on July 19th the German pushed the British and French back recapturing their lines.
In the month of September, some gains were made by the useage of tanks like at the battle of Fler-Courcelette on Sept 15th-22nd gaining only a few miles. Sir Douglas Heig continued to order Rawlingson to attack the German lines and on November 13th, the BEF made a final effort on the far east side of the salient of trenches and were able to capture fortress at Beaumont Hamel. With only a few small advances during the whole battle, the British continued to attack the German lines with only little success due to snow and bad weather, Sir Douglas Heig gave up his gains and the Somme Offensive was brought to a halt on November 18th, ending the battle.
At the end of the battle, the British suffered about 420,000 casulities, French suffered about 200,000 casualities and the German had around 500,000 casualities.
Sir Douglas Heig along side General Rawlingson were incharge of the operation so starting on June 24th, Heig bombard the German trenches for eight days in an effort to destroy their defences making it easier for the British troops to advance. After the preliminary bombardment, 27 divisions contaning 750,000 men lined out on the frontline ready to lead the advance on a 48 mile front against the 16 divisions of Germans across 'No Mans Land'. General Rawlingson would be was incharge of the main assult at the center of the attack line while to the north General Edmund Allenby along with the British 3rd army and a cavalry division would breakthrought the German lines up there. To the south, General Fayolle and the French 6th army would advance towards Combles.
But unfortuneately, the British preliminary bombardment didn't destroy the German frontline barbed wire or their heavily constructed concrete bunkers where the German troops managed to stay protected from the British artillery. Plus most of the British artillery shells turned out to be duds and didn't do any damage to the German bunkers or hurt the troops.
The offensive started on July 1st at 7:30 with the detonation of 17 mines followed by the advancement of British and French troops across 'No Mans Land'(the area between the British and German trenches) in hope that they wouldn't incounter any German resistance. But since the German positions and bunkers remained intact and on higher ground,supirior German machine gun fire repelled the attacking British and French troops. On the first day of battle, the British suffered 58,000 casualities which holds the record on the most troops killed in one day. Many troops were either killed or wounded as the stepped out of their trenches or while they moved slowly packed down with supplies on 'No Mans Land' whom made very easy targets for German machine gunners.
With very little progress made on the first days and weeks of the battle and despite the heavy losses experienced on the first day, Sir Douglas Heig was determined to keep on fighting so he ordered General Rawlingson to keep on attacking the German trenches. On July 11th, Rawlingson and his forces were able to secure the first line of the German trenches and in a night attack on the 13th, a breakthrough was made in the German lines. But due to German reinforcements doubling the amount of defenders, on July 19th the German pushed the British and French back recapturing their lines.
In the month of September, some gains were made by the useage of tanks like at the battle of Fler-Courcelette on Sept 15th-22nd gaining only a few miles. Sir Douglas Heig continued to order Rawlingson to attack the German lines and on November 13th, the BEF made a final effort on the far east side of the salient of trenches and were able to capture fortress at Beaumont Hamel. With only a few small advances during the whole battle, the British continued to attack the German lines with only little success due to snow and bad weather, Sir Douglas Heig gave up his gains and the Somme Offensive was brought to a halt on November 18th, ending the battle.
At the end of the battle, the British suffered about 420,000 casulities, French suffered about 200,000 casualities and the German had around 500,000 casualities.