Somme 1 July 1916: Tragedy and Triumph

The first day of the Battle of the Somme of World War I (1914-1918) is still on record as having the largest number of deaths in any one day in any war. This book explores the myths of this infamous battle, and the use of mines, tunnels, gas and flame-throwers by the British in combination with innovative tactics such as smoke. Andrew Robertshaw analyses the first day of the battle, explaining how British tactics developed as a result of the experience of the Somme, and provides an overview of the events along the entire front line, examining the actions of two British Corps, VIII at Serre and XIII at Montauban.

The first day of the Somme is still on record as having the largest number of deaths in any one day in any war. This book explores the myths of this infamous battle, and the use of mines, tunnels, gas and flame-throwers by the British in combination with innovative tactics such as smoke. Andrew Robertshaw analyses the first day of the battle, explaining how British tactics developed as a result of the experience of the Somme, and provides an overview of the events along the entire front line, examining the actions of two British Corps, VIII at Serre and XIII at Montauban.

Andrew Robertshaw is Director for Education at the National Army Museum and is currently working with Whitehall on their Household Cavalry museum project. He has presented numerous programmes on the First World War for the BBC and Channel 4; he is currently working on 'Finding the Fallen' for the Discovery Channel. In 1997 he published 'A Soldier's Life' (Heinemann/Penguin). He frequently lectures on battlefield archaeology and the First World War, and is Chair of 'No Man's Land', the European Group for First World War Archaeology. He lives in Surrey.