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Battle of the Somme (sources ("quite as many died on the enemy wire…

- - - - 11th Cambridgeshire Battalion
        
        750 men over the top
        
        691 casualties
- - - - Haig distracts German troops from Verdun with battle of Somme, gaining territory and killing as many as possible
    - - huge artillery bombardment
      - mines devastate German positions
      - enemy barbed wire cut
      - German trenches and dug-outs smashed
      - attacking British troops walk across No Mans Land
      - would rebuild trenches once taken
      - cavalry kept in readiness
      - problems
        
        German trenches fortified with concrete
        
        dug-outs were very deep
        
        30 metres wide barbed wire band
        
        many shells failed to go off
        
        mines performed little damage
        
        defenders were on higher ground so could see British troops
        
        German machine guns
- - - - 7:30
      - usually begin at dawn
        
        commanders confident of little resistance
      - 27 divisions (~750 000 men) against 26 German
        
        French made quick gains
        
        moved quickly
        
        more experienced
        
        became isolated due to British slow movement
        
        allowed German machine gunners to set up
        
        some gunners said the sheer numbers would have overwhelmed them if they had advanced more quickly
      - wire was undamaged in many places
        
        soldiers became sitting ducks for machine gun fire
    - - detonation heard in London