✦ History

Part of World War I

Battle of the Somme

July 1 – November 18, 1916 · Somme, France

Result Inconclusive

World War I battle of 1 July to 18 November 1916 on the Somme river in France, fought by British Empire and French forces against Germany. More than three million men fought and over one million were wounded or killed, making it one of the deadliest battles in history; the British suffered 57,470 casualties on 1 July alone, the worst single day in British Army history. The battle saw the first use of the tank in warfare, but Anglo-French forces advanced only about 10 km and failed to capture Peronne and Bapaume.

On the map Overview Contemporaries

Allies

Central Powers

Other

France
United Kingdom
Union of South Africa
German Empire
Hubert Gough Commander, Reserve Army Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby military commander Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig military commander Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson military commander
Paul von Hindenburg military commander Erich Ludendorff military commander Erich von Falkenhayn military commander Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria military commander Max von Gallwitz military commander

Strength and losses

United Kingdom Casualties c. 420,000

France Casualties c. 200,000

Casualties
440,000–600,000 disputed

Units

Fifth Army (United Kingdom) Fourth Army (United Kingdom) French Sixth Army (1914–1918) French Tenth Army (1914–1918) Third Army (United Kingdom) 35th Army Corps (France) Canadian Corps I Corps (United Kingdom) II Corps (United Kingdom) V Corps (United Kingdom) VIII Corps (United Kingdom) X Corps (United Kingdom) XIII Corps (United Kingdom) 16th (Irish) Division 18th (Eastern) Division 1st Infantry Division (France) 20th (Light) Division 21st Division (United Kingdom) 23rd Division (United Kingdom) 24th Division (United Kingdom) 29th Division (United Kingdom) 2nd Infantry Division (United Kingdom) 30th Division (United Kingdom) 31st Division (United Kingdom) 32nd Division (United Kingdom) 33rd Division (United Kingdom) 35th Division (United Kingdom) 36th (Ulster) Division 37th Division (United Kingdom) 40th Division (United Kingdom) 41st Division (United Kingdom) 45th Infantry Division (France) 47th (1/2nd London) Division 4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) 50th (Northumbrian) Division 51st (Highland) Division 55th (West Lancashire) Division 5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) 6th (UK) Division 7th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) 8th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) 9th (Scottish) Division Guards Division (United Kingdom) History of the British 8th Division during the First World War Moroccan Division (France) Royal Ulster Rifles
1st Army (German Empire) 2nd Army (German Empire) XXVII Reserve Corps (German Empire) 103rd Infantry Division (German Empire) 111th Infantry Division (German Empire) 113th Infantry Division (German Empire) 117th Infantry Division (German Empire) 11th Division (German Empire) 12th Division (German Empire) 13th Division (German Empire) 15th Division (German Empire) 16th Division (German Empire) 17th Division (German Empire) 18th Division (German Empire) 21st Division (German Empire) 25th Division (German Empire) 26th Division (German Empire) 27th Division (German Empire) 28th Division (German Empire) 29th Division (German Empire) 30th Division (German Empire) 35th Division (German Empire) 36th Division (German Empire) 38th Division (German Empire) 39th Division (German Empire) 56th Infantry Division (German Empire) 58th Infantry Division (German Empire) 5th Division (German Empire) 6th Division (German Empire) 7th Division (German Empire) 8th Division (German Empire)
IV Corps (German Empire) 123rd Infantry Division (German Empire) 1st Canadian Division 23rd Division (German Empire) 24th Division (German Empire) 2nd Canadian Division 2nd Indian Cavalry Division 3rd Canadian Division 40th Division (German Empire) 4th Royal Bavarian Division 17th Horse (Poona Horse)

Battles 13

Related events 1 degree away • 2 degrees away

1917
1918
 
Battle of Verdun
 
Battle of the Somme
 
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Also involved 6