What happened during the Battle of the Somme?

What happened during the Battle of the Somme?

The Battle of the Somme (1 July – 18 November 1916) was a joint operation between British and French forces intended to achieve a decisive victory over the Germans on the Western Front after 18 months of trench deadlock. The location was mainly chosen as it was where French and British forces on the Western Front met.

Who won the battle of Somme the first day?

British
More of The Somme The Battle of the Somme (1 July – 18 November 1916) was a joint operation between British and French forces intended to achieve a decisive victory over the Germans on the Western Front after 18 months of trench deadlock.

Why did battle of Somme happen?

The four-month Battle of the Somme was fought from 1 July to 18 November 1916. Allied commanders sought to relieve pressure on the French defenders of Verdun to the south by inflicting heavy losses on German forces farther north and drawing German reserves into the battle.

What happened on the first day of the Battle of the Somme?

The first day of the Somme was the deadliest day in British military history – of the 57,470 British casualties, 19,240 men had been killed. But there was no question of suspending the offensive with the French still heavily engaged at Verdun. Ultimately the Battle of the Somme would continue for another four months.

Why is the battle of the Somme so important?

The Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of World War I, and among the bloodiest in all of human history. A combination of a compact battlefield, destructive modern weaponry and several failures by British military leaders led to the unprecedented slaughter of wave after wave of young men.

What happened at the Battle of the Somme how many British Tommies were killed How far did the Allies advance?

What happened at the Battle of the Somme? How many British Tommies were killed? How far did the allies advance? Thousands were killed and only for the allies to advance around 6 miles.

How many shells fired at Somme?

1.5 million shells
The British fired 1.5 million shells. Many were shrapnel, which threw out steel balls when they exploded.

What was the worst Battle of ww1?

More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the deadliest battles in human history….

Battle of the Somme
Strength
1 July 13 divisions 11 divisions July–November 50 divisions 48 divisions	1 July 10 1⁄2 divisions July–November 50 divisions

Was gas used in the Battle of Somme?

Chlorine/phosgene mixture gas attacks were used extensively during the battle of the Somme (July-November 1916). By the time phosgene was being used in late 1915, the British were using the ‘P’ or Phenate or Tube helmet.

What weapons were used at the Battle of the Somme?

Artillery and heavy guns used by the British forces during the First Battle of the Somme in 1916

Weapon type	Number of guns
QF 18 pounder gun	808
QF 4.5 inch Howitzer	202
BL 60 pounder gun	128
BL 6 inch Howitzer	104

What happened on the 11th July 1916 during the battle?

Battle of the Somme – The biggest battle of World War I opened with the Battle of Albert, with British forces capturing the French communes of Gommecourt, Mountauban and Mamtez on the same day. The opening offense was the British Army’s bloodiest day, with 57,470 British casualties including 19,240 killed.

What was the worst battle of ww1?