The Somme 1 July

1 July 1916, was the opening day of the British and French offensive that became the Battle of the Somme. The middle day of the middle year of the First World War, it is remembered as the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army. For many people, the first day has come to represent the futility and sacrifice of the war, with lines of infantry being mowed down by German machine guns. The main attack was to be carried out by the Fourth Army under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson. A diversionary attack was to be made on the northern flank by two divisions of General Edmund Allenby’s Third Army. When the breakthrough was achieved, the exploitation phase would be carried out by the three cavalry divisions of General Sir Hubert Gough’s Reserve Army. For all three men, the Somme would be their first battle in command of an army. Many commanders approached the battle with great optimism. The pre-battle speech delivered to the 8th Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry included the memorable, though slightly inaccurate: "When you go over the top, you can slope arms, light up your pipes and cigarettes, and march all the way to Pozières before meeting any live Germans." On this day 57,470 men became casualties of which 19,240 were killed or died of wounds.