July 1st 1916

As I scare some people, here some military history.

The Somme offensive was launched. Originally planned as a
joint British-French attack, the continuing slaughter at
Verdun in the south significantly reduced the French forces
available to participate. Rawlinson's Fourth Army led the
assault, supported by Allenby's Third Army in the north.
Despite a huge preliminary bombardment, much of the German
barbed wire and defences remained intact to meet the
attackers with murderous fire. Some 60,000 casualties were
suffered on the first day, 19,000 of them fatal: the
bloodiest day in the British Army's history, and the worst
losses suffered by any one side in a single day during the
First World War. Kitchener's New Army of volunteer
battalions bore the brunt of the losses. Probably the worst
hit, in percentage terms, was the 10th Battalion of the
Prince of Wales' Own West Yorkshire Regiment, which lost 710
men killed and wounded. Newfoundland's small contingent
suffered horrendously disproportionate losses: the
Newfoundland Regiment suffered 91% casualties in less than 45
minutes.

Nine Victoria Crosses were won that day:

Major Loudon-Shand, The Yorkshire Regiment, mortally wounded
whilst in the open helping his men climb over a German trench
parapet to relative safety.
Captain Bell, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed after
mounting four successful lone attacks to eliminate German
strong-points.
Captain Green, Royal Army Medical Corps, was killed
attempting to bring in from No Man's Land a casualty, whose
wounds he had previously dressed while under heavy fire in
the open.
Sergeant Turnbull, Highland Light Infantry, was killed
leading a grenade attack, having previously distinguished
himself defending a captured position against repeated German
counter-attacks.
Corporal Sanders, the Prince of Wales' Own West Yorkshire
Regiment, who, cut off with a group of thirty men under his
command, took an enemy position and organised a brilliant
defence against heavy attack for thirty-six hours.
Private McFadzean, Royal Irish Rifles, who flung himself on
two grenades which lost their safety pins whilst being handed
out in a crowded trench. He was blown to pieces, but his
body absorbed sufficient blast to ensure only one other man
was wounded.
Private Quigg, Royal Irish Rifles, who over a seven hour
period in No Man's Land rescued in turn seven wounded men
despite the enemy barrage.
Drummer Ritchie, Seaforth Highlanders, who stood exposed on
an enemy trench parapet, playing the Charge to rally men in
the appalling confusion of No Man's Land.
In the air, Major Rees, 32 Squadron Royal Flying Corps, was
attacked by ten German aircraft whilst flying a DH2 fighter.
He drove off three opponents damaged, then attacked another
pair until he ran out of ammunition, despite being badly
wounded in the process and temporarily losing control of his
aircraft. He returned safely