| > > > The
Battle of Albert |
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| The
opening phase of the Somme: "The Battle of Albert, 1 - 13
July 1916" |
| Although
it is officially known as such, the date range for this opening
phase is a little misleading. The battle began with the opening
of the artillery bombardment on 24
June 1916.
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| British
Divisions engaged on the first day, right to left |
| Fourth
Army (Rawlinson): |
| XIII
Corps (Congreve): 18th
Division, 30th
Division [Montauban] |
| XV
Corps (Watts): 7th Division, 21st
Division [Mametz - Fricourt] |
| III
Corps (Pulteney): 8th
Division, 34th
Division [Fricourt - Ovillers] |
| X
Corps (Morland): 32nd Division, 36th
Division [Thiepval] |
| VIII
Corps (Hunter-Weston): 4th
Division, 29th
Division, 31st Division [Beaumont Hamel - Serre] |
| Third
Army (Allenby): |
| VII
Corps (Snow): 46th
Division, 56th Division [Gommecourt] |
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| The
infantry attack on the first German trench system, 1 July |
 At 7.30am on 1
July 1916, the opening bombardment ceased and the artillery
lifted its sights onto more distant targets. Infantry of 11 British
Divisions of four Corps attacked the enemy fortress on the Somme.
In addition, 2 Divisions of VII Corps made a diversionary attack
a little to the north at Gommecourt. This opening attack was
in
terms
of casualties the worst day in British military history matched
only in terms of the scale of loss perhaps by the fall of Singapore
in 1942. The British Official History records the totals, having
compiled the numbers from Part II Battalion Orders of each unit
involved: 19,240 men
died on the day and the total loss including wounded, prisoners
and missing was 57,470. For this prodigious effort
and loss, the reward was the capture of the enemy front line system
around Montauban and Mametz. Tiny lodgements were gained elsewhere
but could not be held. The attacks on the front of La Boisselle, Ovillers,
Thiepval, Beaumont Hamel, Serre and Gommecourt all failed. |
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| Go
on to 2 July | Go back
to the battle calendar |
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| Pressing
on after success on the first day |
| The
Capture of Montauban and the fight for Trones Wood, 1-12 July
1916 |
| The
Capture of Mametz and the fight for Mametz Wood, 1 -13 July 1916 |
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