The 1916 Battle of the Somme, was one of the largest battles of the First World War, with more than one million casualties.

The Allied forces attempted to break through the German lines along a 25-mile, 40 km front north and south of the River Somme in northern France.

One purpose of the battle was to draw German forces away from the battle of Verdun however, by its end the losses on the Somme had exceeded those at Verdun.