Battle of the Somme (jul 1, 1916 – nov 18, 1916)

Description:

The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme offensive, was a significant First World War battle fought between the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the river Somme in France. The Allies had committed to an offensive on the Somme during the Chantilly Conference in December 1915, with the Somme offensive being the Franco-British contribution.

The French army initially planned to undertake the main part of the Somme offensive, supported by the Fourth Army of the British Expeditionary Force. However, when the Imperial German Army began the Battle of Verdun on 21 February 1916, French commanders diverted many divisions intended for the Somme, leading to the "supporting" attack by the British. The British troops on the Somme comprised a mixture of the remains of the pre-war army, the Territorial Force, and Kitchener's Army, a force of wartime volunteers.

On the first day of the Somme, the German 2nd Army suffered a serious defeat against the French Sixth Army, with 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 killed. Most of the British casualties were suffered on the front between the Albert–Bapaume road and Gommecourt to the north, where the principal German defensive effort (Schwerpunkt) was made.

At the end of the battle, British and French forces penetrated 10 km (6 mi) into German-occupied territory along the majority of the front, their largest territorial gain since the First Battle of the Marne in 1914. However, the operational objectives of the Anglo-French armies were unfulfilled, as they failed to capture Péronne and Bapaume.

Added to timeline:

Date:

Images: