The Battle of Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, is one of the most infamous battles in history. The battle took place between July 1 through November 1 in 1916 during World War I. The Battle of Somme was one of the bloodiest battles throughout history, tallying 57,000 British casualties in just the first day. The final tally? More than 1.5 million deaths.
Although widely known for its devastating loss of life, the battle also featured some well-known historical figures. J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Adolf Hitler were all soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Somme, all of whom were fortunate enough to survive.
More about World War I:
- Tanks were used in warfare for the first time ever in the Battle of Somme by the British. Consequently, the commander of the Allied forces ordered hundreds more to be produced.
- By the end of World War I, 2 billion letters and 114 million parcels had been delivered to the war front in France.
- During World War I, Harold Gillies developed early techniques for facial reconstruction for wounded soldiers, contributing to the invention of plastic surgery.