The British Army suffered the greatest day of casualties in its history on the first day of the battle of the Somme, with over 57,000 casualties reported. I've heard arguments which claim that British soldiers were ordered to walk across no-man's land to the German lines, because British military command feared that newly recruited soldiers would not be able to follow complex orders. Was this actually the case?
I've heard arguments which claim that British soldiers were ordered to walk across no-man's land to the German lines, because British military command feared that newly recruited soldiers would not be able to follow complex orders. Was this actually the case?
While it was believed that having the New Army divisions attack in small groups would make them more difficult to command and lead to disorganization, in reality they did not walk. In fact, units don't seem to have taken the suggestions of 4th Army tactical notes to mind at all. Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson found that of 80 British battalions that went over the top July 1st, 1916, 53 were already in no man's land before 07:30 and thus attacked over a shorter distance, 12 advanced at something close ton walking pace, but this was behind a creeping barrage mostly, and the other 15 ran at the German trenches from the parapet at 07:30.