The Somme

For Haig’s plan to be successful , he needed to pick up from where the British had failed. Seeing from the battle of Loos. Firstly, as the front was too narrow, he needed somewhere where the front would be wide. Allowing good access for the reserves to carry the momentum of a raid forward. Seeing as gas was one of the main subjects to the loss in loos, gas was seen as too unpredictable. It would not be a main factor in the battle of the somme. However, to replace gas bombs, would be gas shells, fired at smaller targets, which would then be raided by foot soldiers. Information is key to winning a battle. Haig sent aircrafts to scour the German trenches , searching for weaknesses and strengths. As seen from battles before hand, tasks too unrealistic were re-place by more realistic targets, such a taking a trench or a particular area targeted by mass amounts of soldiers. In case of a breakthrough in the enemy lines, the cavalry were ready to charge. They were given orders to destroy railway tracks and all sources of German links to the trenches. All of these new tactics would be vital in the ‘big push’ ( The battles of the somme)

However, the Germans had also been at work. Reflecting back on mishaps, that occurred during the battle of loos. Predicting areas where the source of the British attacks would be at their greatest they placed stronger, and experienced fighters. But the British expected this and bombarded areas that would not be attacked, to confuse the Germans.

The German saw from the battle of loos, that their positioning of their trenches, were too easily accessible for the English to take. They also found that during the battle of loos, because the front trenches were so heavily manned, when it came to defending a line of trenches behind the front, the Germans didn’t have a strong enough position to hold their lines. To counter act these flaws. The Germans placed their second line of trenches, on stronger, more defendable sites, making it harder, for the English to carry their momentum during a raid. These trenches were placed on high, and muddy terrain, giving them clear views of the English trenches. To reinforce their front lines, and the lines behind. They had three trench zones. Each 200 yards apart. The first zone ( The front line) Was mostly used to hold the English raids. The second zone. Was used to break a raids momentum. And the third was used to hold the entire German series of trenches. Much of the front line was placed upon French Villages, captured by the Germans. This provided strongholds for the Germans. Making it harder for the English to break through the front lines.

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07:30. 1ST July 1916

After a week-long artillery bombardment, the offensive began at 07.30 on 1 July 1916.( The Big Push) Unconvinced that the inexperienced soldiers, that made up most of Haig’s army could cope with more sophisticated tactics, some senior commanders ordered the infantry to advance in long, close-formed lines although some adopted more flexible attack formations.

This is a preview of the whole essay

07:30. 1ST July 1916

In most places the artillery bombardment had failed to cut the German barbed wire or harm the defenders in their deep dugouts. German machine-gunners emerged from shelter and mowed down the oncoming British infantry. The only substantial British success was in the south where, using more imaginative tactics and helped by the French artillery on their immediate right, the 18th and 30th Divisions took all their objectives. Including . ( As shown on map above) These limited gains cost 57,470 British casualties, but there was no question of suspending the offensive with the French still heavily engaged at Verdun. Haig no longer expected an immediate breakthrough; he now regarded the Somme as an attritional or 'wearing-out' battle.

7th July-5th Augest

Relentless British attacks and equally determined German counterattacks characterised the remainder of the Battle. Due to the cleverly organised German defences. When one of their front lines were taken, the Germans would automatically strike back, gaining the front line once again, by taking fall advantage of their second line of trenches. This was the war of attrition. On 14 July a dawn attack resulted in the seizure of 6,000 yards (5486m) of the German line between Longueval and . , which was largely captured on 14 July, was cleared by the end of the month, but the Germans in neighbouring villages on the front line with held a total English break through. From 23 July to 5 August, the Australian divisions were involved in a costly but successful struggle for village, taking Thiepval on the way. This meant German forces were gradually being forced back.

September

By the end of August , the German first and second lines had been taken. It was now a matter of piling on the pressure. But with German reinforcements constantly being pushed into the trenches, they had managed to form a resistance in the northern sector of the second line, around serre. By mid-September the British were ready to assault the German third line of defences with a new weapon, the tank. 49 tanks were available to support the infantry. Even though their brute force was not as truly destructive as modern models nowadays. They still had an influence on the defending Germans, sending alarm through the third line of trenches. Haig believed that the German forces would ultimately collapse, if pressure was maintained.

October

Both sides were tired. After 4 months of continuous fighting, it was whoever broke first would lose the battle. Many of the British battalions came agonisingly close to capturing the northern fringes of the German 3rd line. But with no break through.

November.

The last act of the Somme offensive took place in the Ancre sector from 13 to 18 November 1916. The operation went ahead, after repeated postponements, largely because it was hoped that a late British success might create a favourable impression at the inter-Allied conference at Chantilly on 15 November. (An ally meeting) The weather was at its worst for the closing stages of the battle, with heavy rain. The British and French forces gathered together on the edge of the second line of German trenches, preparing for a last push to end the battle. But the Germans had foreseen such an event, and added more barbed wire to the third row of trenches, and mass stationed machine guns upon them. Their targets Beaumont Hamel and Redan Ridge, places that had been reoccupied by the Germans, after many close raids. At 05:45am the battle began. The full force of the British and French, along with tanks, were matched by German machine guns sweeping the floor. Trench tactics blew holes in the German trenches, giving the French and British space to raid. This was when attrition was at its greatest, the trenches were continuously being taken by both sides. Attack after attack made it one of the bloodiest fights of the somme. But by the 18th November 1916, in the early hours of the morning everything fell silent. The Germans had surrendered the Somme.

It was a day to remember...

Facts.

Overall casualties added up to over a million

The offensive cost Britain and the Empire 419,654 casualties, 125,000 of them dead. Which is a daily average of 893 dead per day.

French casualties numbered 204,253.

Estimates of German casualties vary widely between 437,000 and 680,000.

Due to the somme, the British and French gained 7 miles on the Germans.

Was it worth all the life loss?

The turning point of the war?

Yes. After two years of stalemate between both sides, moral had dropped. The British and French had lost hope in victory. As the German trenches were much better preserved and were easier to live in than the British trenches, the Germans had better moral. Since the start of the war, right towards the end. The Germans were favourites. After loss in the battle of Loos. The entire British army had lost the plot. What the victory of the Somme did for the British. Is it was something to build upon. You cannot win a football match without a victory to build on. The Somme gave the British confidence. It was their first major win over the Germans. The idea of coming out of the darkness, and beating of the Germans is what helped the British win the war. It gave them momentum to carry on right to the end. However, some could say that it wasn’t the victory in the Somme that was the turning point of the war. But the joining of the Americans. Yes! The Americans did influence the Germans, and helped the moral in the British camp. But I think it was the whole idea of the British being able to beat the Germans by themselves. Let’s not forget the French! It might of even been the French attitude towards the war that was the turning point. Their knowledge of the land must of helped find the weaknesses in the German trenches.

Concluding this, I feel it was the feeling of independency with the victory over the Germans that was the turning point of the war. It was self belief that didn’t let the British and French hearts drop. Like how you feel after a long homework like this. It was a job well done. And a positive to build on.........