The Battle of the Somme

What happened

The British-led offensive on the Somme opened on 1 July 1916 with the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army — around 57,000 casualties in a single day. The battle ground on for months for limited gains, and it saw the first-ever use of tanks in war in September 1916.

Why it matters

The Somme came to epitomize the industrial-scale slaughter of the Western Front and the human cost of trench warfare.

Sources

• Imperial War Museums. The Battle Of The Somme: 5 Things You Need To Know · Reputable source