On this day - 1 July

The Somme river was the location for one of the deadliest battles in history which began on July 1st 1916. A combination of British and French forces fought against German forces. The battle lasted until November 18th 1916. At the conclusion of the battle, the German front line had been pushed back, with Allied forces moving 6 miles (10 kilometers) into territory previously held by the Germans.

The first two weeks of the Battle of the Somme were known as the Battle of Albert. On July 1st alone, large amounts of casualties were sustained with over 57,000 injured and nearly 20,000 British troops killed. Nine Victoria Crosses were awarded for events that day.