Drama-documentary recounting the events of the 1st July 1916 and the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front during the First World War. Told through the letters and journals of soldiers who were there.

The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the River Somme in France.

The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies and was the largest battle of the First World War on the Western Front.[7] More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history.[8] Trench warfare gave the Germans an advantage because they dug their trenches deeper than the Allied forces which gave them a better line of sight for warfare.

The Battle of the Somme also has the distinction of being the first battle fought with tanks.[9] Tanks were still in the early stages of development and many broke down when used in September.

Episode Length: 00:45:00

Year: 2005

Episodes: 1

This documentary is available to watch for FREE on Planet Knowledge, a free to watch video on demand channel on Freeview HD (Channel 265), Youview, Samsung connected TV’s, selected smart TV’s, tablets and smartphones using Android or iOS.