PowerPoint Presentation - Battle of the Sommes

1
Battle of the Somme
2
Where in the World is

• This battle took place at the River Somme, in
  Northern France.
• The battle commenced at 720 am, July 1, 1916 ...
  Ten minutes earlier than General Haig intended
• A mine accidentally went off early ..whoops
• Lasted five months (July 1, 1916 November 18,
  1916)

3
The Players
Offensive Britain France (which includes
Canadian troops, and the Newfoundland Regiment)
Leaders of the offensive Douglas Haig Joseph
Joffre Defensive Germans Leaders of the
defensive Paul von Hindenburg Erich Friedrich
Wilhelm Ludendorff. FUN FACT Hindenburg was
the last German leader before Adolf Hitler took
over. (Warning this is not relevant to WWI)
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General Haig

• Commander in chief of the British Expeditionary
  Force for the Battle of the Somme
• Instructed by France to create a diversion from
  Verdun, a battle that commenced in February 1916
• Was greatly criticized when he refused to use
  modern war tactics
• As a result, 600,000 Allied troops died

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The Newfoundland Regiment

• Newfoundland was not apart of Canada in 1916, so
  the people of Newfoundland started their own
  regiment.
• Fought for Britain in this battle
• Suffered 91 casualties
• Every officer was killed or hurt
• To say the very least, this was embarrassing for
  the regiment

6
Techniques

• Sent 11 division lines to the Germans front.
• Only about 3-4 units made it to the trenches
• Planned to bomb germans treches
• Allies bombs failed to explode

7
Infantry

• Regular infantry 54,335
• Machine gun companies 1,080
• Pioneer battalions 1,020
• Royal engineers 450
• Trench 350
• Artillary 170
• Royal medical corps. 60
• Royal flying corps 5

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What Went Wrong?

• Allies shells were too weak to penetrate German
  bunkers
• Allies attacked in broad daylight not one of
  Haigs brightest ideas
• Troops were carrying over 60 Kg of gear
• Haig used traditional tactics (the old school
  march) the Germans used machine guns

9
The Numbers

• Team Triple Alliance
• 57,500 British casualties on the first day
• 20,000 Canadians died (counted in the British
  casualties number)
• 420,000 British casualties
• 195,000 French casualties
• Team Triple Entente
• 650,000 German casualties

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What Was Accomplished?

• Its hard to say whether anything was
  accomplished by the first Battle of the Somme.
  Technically, the Triple Entente won but only
  because their number of casualties was a tiny bit
  less than the Germans. If you think of all the
  soldiers that died and all the small amount of
  land that was gained, it was barely an
  accomplishment.

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Before Action

• I, that on my familiar hill
• Saw with uncomprehending eyes
• A hundred of thy sunsets spill
• Their fresh and sanguine sacrifice,
• Ere the sun swings his noonday sword
• Must say good-bye to all of this-
• By all delights that I shall miss,
• Help me to die, O Lord.
• This was the last poem of William Noel Hodgson,
  written before entering the Battle of the Somme

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From an Outpost

• I've tramped South England up and down Down
  Dorset way, down Devon way, Through every little
  ancient town Down Dorset way, down Devon way. I
  mind the old stone churches there, The taverns
  round the market square, The cobbled streets, the
  garden flowers, The sundials telling peaceful
  hours Down Dorset way, down Devon way.
• The Meadowlands are green and fair Down Somerset
  and Sussex way, The clover scent is in the air
  Down Somerset and Sussex way. I mind the
  deep-thatched homesteads there The noble
  downlands, clean and bare. The sheepfolds and the
  cattle byres, The blue wood-smoke from shepherd's
  fires Down Dorset way, down Devon way.  

• The Meadowlands are green and fair Down Somerset
  and Sussex way, The clover scent is in the air
  Down Somerset and Sussex way. I mind the
  deep-thatched homesteads there The noble
  downlands, clean and bare. The sheepfolds and the
  cattle byres, The blue wood-smoke from shepherd's
  fires Down Dorset way, down Devon way.  
• By Leslie Coulson.