Somme British Legion die cast model

MIL006 - Edition 20,000

The Somme

It was a Saturday morning. The long-prepared British and French offensive on the Western Front was about to begin- the location the River Somme in Picardy, France.

This was the biggest British army yet sent into battle, 26 divisions all volunteers on a 15-mile front. We had expected in addition another 40 French divisions, but less than half of those turned up. At 7.30am the artillery barrage was lifted and the British went over the top. Each man carried entrenching tools, two gas helmets, wire cutters, 220 rounds of ammunition, two sandbags, two Mills bombs, groundsheet, haversack, water bottle and field dressing - almost 70 pounds of equipment each. The aim was to seize some 4,000 yards of enemy territory in the first day.
In the first five minutes thousands were cut down by relentless enemy fire. By nightfall many battalions numbered barely a hundred men. On every side there were dead and wounded. The success was limited to a few miles and 2000 prisoners. The British had 60,000 casualties.