the Allies launched a major offensive that saw Canadians wage a five-month battle against German troops along the Somme River in France.
The battle resulted in devastating losses for the Canadian forces.
At Beaumont Hamel, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of 790 men lost all but 68 soldiers in a single day
After five months, only 11 km of enemy territory had been gained, but Canadian casualties numbered over 21,000.
:fire: the Battle of the Somme illustrated the futility of trench warfare, but more importantly, it showed many that the enemy was not embodied in a soldier, a general, or a politician, but in the war itself.