2.2 - The Somme

Question 1

What type of weapon was able to impact the barbed wire before the Battle of the Somme?

Answer 1

Hi-explosive shells

Question 2

How many British casualties did the Somme see?

Answer 2

57,000 first day
420,000 casualties overall

Question 3

By the end of the battle, how far back had the British pushed the German line?

Answer 3

6km

Question 4

What were the German casualties?

Answer 4

500,000

Question 5

Why did the Somme happen?

Answer 5

Relieving pressure on Verdun

Question 6

What problems were faced by the British during the Somme?

Answer 6

• Outdated tactics e.g. 7:30
• Poor leadership e.g sticking to timetable
• German combat veterans did not match British Pals Batallions

Question 7

When was the Somme?

Answer 7

July - November 1916 (5 month offensive)

Question 8

What were the French casualties?

Answer 8

200,000

Question 9

How did soldiers improve from The Somme?

Answer 9

• British attacked earlier, from 7:30 to 2:30
• Rolling barrage - when soldiers went over the top, artillery also advanced on a fixed timetable. More targeted and efficient. Protected soldiers, dark and smokescreens acted as cover
• Tanks integrated into army
• Officers not kept behind, once intital objectives completed, officers followed and made orders instead of waiting for senior command
• Reconnaisance planes to learn German positions
• Pals battalions stopped because of public outcry of entire areas of towns being killed

Question 10

What was the importance of tanks?

Answer 10

Only 21 used at the Somme
Over the 5 month offensive, integrated as effective units - led the way and provided cover

Question 11

What is one way the Battle of the Somme led to the development of British military tactics?

Answer 11

One problem was: outdated tactics e.g always attacking at 7:30 am after a heavy artillery bombardment.
This led to: strong German resistance as were prepared for British arrival after hiding in shell resistant concrete dugouts
Consequently: British troops changed the time of attacks to 2:30 am allowing them to move under the cover of darkness.

Question 12

What is another way the Battle of the Somme led to a development of British military tactics?

Answer 12

Another problem was: German heavy use of machine guns, easily transportable so not destroyed in artillery bombardment.
This led to: deaths machine guns (10 bullets per second) and accuracy
Consequently: tanks became integrated units in the infantry providing cover for those going ‘over the top’ due to their bulletproof nature.