Rush the Lines

Fearing for Verdun, the British launched the Somme Offensive early in the morning. French forces south of the river pushed the flank back a few hours later, catching the Germans off guard. It was expected the French would bombard longer, …

1916-07-01

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Fearing for Verdun, the British launched the Somme Offensive early in the morning. French forces south of the river pushed the flank back a few hours later, catching the Germans off guard. It was expected the French would bombard longer, since they didn”t start on schedule with the British. 219 RL, 262 RI, and 265 RI of 61st Division, XXXV Corps, attacked opposite the village of Fay and a wood to the southern side. The Fuisilier Regiment Nr. 38 of the German 11 lnfanterie-Division tried to rush up reinforcements to check them. The French attacked in a different way. Unlike the British who walked en masse across no-man's land with parade ground precision, only to be cut down and brought to a tragic halt, the French rushed the line in small groups and sought whatever cover they could find. They gained over two miles in the day and even captured German artillery unable to withdraw in time.

Somme River, France

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. More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the deadliest battles in human history.

Wikipedia: Battle of the Somme

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