The Battle of the Somme 1916: History & Collectables

The First Day: 1 July 1916

The Battle of the Somme is the defining tragedy of British military history. On 1 July 1916, the British Army suffered 57,470 casualties — including 19,240 killed — the bloodiest single day in its history. The battle would grind on for 141 days until November 1916, at a total cost of approximately 420,000 British casualties, 200,000 French, and an estimated 465,000 German. The Somme shattered the innocence of Kitchener’s New Army — the volunteer “Pals’ Battalions” that had enlisted together in 1914 — and left a scar on the national consciousness that has never fully healed.

Strategic Context

The Somme offensive was planned as the Anglo-French main effort for 1916 — a combined attack on a broad front intended to break through the German lines. The German assault on Verdun from February 1916 changed the balance: the French, bleeding at Verdun, needed the British to attack to relieve pressure. The Somme thus became an increasingly British battle, fought partly for strategic objectives and partly out of alliance necessity.

General Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the BEF, and General Sir Henry Rawlinson, commanding the Fourth Army, planned a methodical assault preceded by a massive seven-day artillery bombardment intended to destroy the German defences, cut the wire, and suppress the defending troops. The plan assumed that the infantry would advance across no man’s land and occupy the shattered German positions with minimal opposition.

The Bombardment

From 24 June to 1 July, approximately 1.7 million shells were fired at the German positions — an average of 3,500 per minute during intense periods. It was the largest artillery bombardment in history to that date. However, the bombardment was spread across too wide a front, many shells were defective (up to 30% of some batches were duds), and the German deep dugouts — carved into the chalk up to 12 metres underground — survived largely intact. The bombardment looked and sounded devastating but was far less effective than it appeared.

The First Day

At 7:30 am on 1 July, mines were detonated under the German positions — the Lochnagar mine at La Boisselle created a crater that is still visible today — and the infantry went over the top. Along most of the 18-mile front, the result was catastrophe. As the barrage lifted, German machine gunners emerged from their dugouts and opened fire on the waves of British infantry crossing no man’s land.

The Pals’ Battalions suffered the concentrated community losses that their local-recruiting system made inevitable:

• The Accrington Pals (11th East Lancashires): 585 casualties in less than 30 minutes, including 235 killed.
• The Leeds Pals (15th West Yorkshires): 750 casualties from 900 who went forward.
• The Tyneside Irish Brigade: 2,400 casualties in the four battalions.
• The Newfoundland Regiment: At Beaumont-Hamel, 710 casualties from 790 men — virtually annihilated.
• The 34th Division: Attacked at La Boisselle and suffered over 6,000 casualties — the heaviest divisional loss of the day.

The only significant success on 1 July was in the south, where the 18th (Eastern) and 30th Divisions captured Montauban and Mametz, and the 36th (Ulster) Division broke into the Schwaben Redoubt in one of the most remarkable feats of the entire war before being forced to withdraw for lack of support.

The Long Battle (July–November 1916)

July–August: Attrition

After the catastrophe of 1 July, the battle continued with smaller, methodical attacks. The capture of Mametz Wood by the 38th (Welsh) Division in July was a brutal five-day action. The fighting for Delville Wood — “Devil’s Wood” — where the South African Brigade suffered 80% casualties, became one of the most savage engagements of the entire war. Pozières was taken by the Australian divisions at enormous cost.

September: Tanks and Flers

On 15 September 1916, tanks were used in battle for the first time. The Mark I tanks, deployed at Flers-Courcelette, achieved some local successes — the famous signal “Tank walking up the High Street of Flers with the British Army cheering behind” captured the imagination — but mechanical unreliability and insufficient numbers meant the strategic surprise was wasted. Of 49 tanks deployed, only 32 reached the start line and most broke down or ditched during the advance.

October–November: Mud

The final phase of the Somme battle, fought in deteriorating weather, saw further grinding advances. The capture of Beaumont-Hamel in November 1916 — a first-day objective finally taken after nearly five months — marked the effective end of the offensive. The British had advanced approximately seven miles on a front of six miles.

Collecting Somme Militaria

Medals

Somme service is identified through the standard WWI trio (1914–15 Star or 1914 Star, BWM, Victory Medal) combined with service record research. Key indicators for collectors:

Trench Art

The Somme generated enormous quantities of trench art — shell cases engraved with unit crests, “Somme 1916” inscriptions, and battlefield locations. Trench art is an accessible entry point for Somme collecting, with prices ranging from £20 for simple pieces to several hundred pounds for elaborate, named, or artistically significant examples.

Personal Items and Equipment

• Brodie helmet (Mk I): The steel helmet was first widely issued for the Somme. Original 1916-dated examples with unit markings are prized. £200–£800.
• Periscopes, wire cutters, trench clubs: Items of trench warfare equipment associated with the Somme. Genuine examples are increasingly scarce.
• SMLE Mk III* rifle: The standard infantry weapon. Examples with 1916 manufacture dates carry a Somme-era association. £400–£1,200.
• Mills bombs (deactivated): The No. 5 grenade was first widely used on the Somme. Deactivated examples are collectable. £30–£80.

Photographs and Documents

Somme photographs — both official (IWM collection) and private soldier snapshots — provide powerful visual records. Original prints from soldiers’ personal albums appear at auction regularly. Letters home describing the Somme, particularly from the Pals’ Battalions, are deeply moving historical documents. A letter describing 1 July 1916 from a combatant is a profoundly important primary source.

Battlefield Archaeology

The Somme battlefields continue to yield material — farmers still plough up shells, equipment, and human remains. Collecting battlefield finds raises legal and ethical issues (French law prohibits metal detecting on WWI battlefields without permission), and items sold as “dug up from the Somme” require careful provenance questioning. The ethical collector respects the sanctity of the battlefield and its association with the dead.