Battle of Somme

History of the Battle of Somme

The following commentary about Battle of Somme in the Churchill Era is produced by the Churchill College (Cambridge): A major British offensive against the German front line launched on 1st July, 1916. Enormous hopes were built up before the assault, which was to involve large numbers of those who had responded to Lord Kitchener's famous appeal for volunteers. In the event, the attack was a disaster: German machine guns caused 60,000 British casualties on the first day alone, and the battle, which had been expected to last a matter of days, dragged on until the autumn. British gains were minimal, and even the use of tanks failed to break through the German lines. The battle has become a symbol of the failures of British generalship in the First World War.