The First Day of The Somme

The First Day of The Somme

Dan Explains the first day of The Somme which remains the bloodiest day in the history of the British army; a symbol of the senseless carnage of the First World War. At 7:30 a.m. on July 1 1916, the British soldiers climbed out of their trenches and advanced towards the German lines. They were met with a bombardment of machine gun fire, artillery barrages, and a hail of bullets from the well-entrenched German troops. It was a bloodbath.


It wasn't supposed to happen like that- beforehand, the British had spent several days bombarding the German lines, believing they would destroy their enemy trenches and barbed wire defences, making the British advance straightforward and almost painless. They didn't know just how well-fortified the Germans were in their deep dugouts. When the bombardment stopped, the Germans manned their defences, waiting for the British to walk right into their line of fire.


In chilling detail, Dan retells the astonishing story of that fateful first day of The Somme- determining what really happened in the days leading up to it and what the men endured when they went 'over the top', using the diaries of the men who were there.


Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited and sound designed by Dougal Patmore.


Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.


We'd love to hear from you- what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(1489)

The Middle Ages in 5 Facts

The Middle Ages in 5 Facts

Where is the grave of King Arthur? What was the worst year in human history? Who were the most fractious royal siblings? What were the origins of humble pie? Which monsters pre-occupied Medieval minds...

20 Des 202340min

Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas

It's that time of year when the beloved Santa Claus comes around once again. But the celebrated image of this prolific gift-giver is based on an even more fabled figure - that of Saint Nicholas, a 3rd...

19 Des 202324min

Fighting Hitler's U-Boats

Fighting Hitler's U-Boats

The Second World War is remembered for its colossal battles in the air, on land and at sea. But perhaps the most terrifying were those waged UNDER the ocean, against an unseen enemy. By the end of 194...

18 Des 202342min

The Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party

On December 16th, 1773, a band of American patriots quietly boarded three ships in Boston Harbour, under the cover of night. Armed with axes and hatchets, they pried open the crates on board and poure...

14 Des 202356min

Sara Forbes Bonetta: Queen Victoria's African God-Daughter

Sara Forbes Bonetta: Queen Victoria's African God-Daughter

By the age of just 7, Sara Forbes Bonetta had survived a West African war, lost her parents, been enslaved and finally, exchanged as a gift for a far-flung queen. When she arrived in the court of Quee...

12 Des 202335min

King Herod

King Herod

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual behaviour which may not be suitable for children.Appointed by the Romans as king of Judaea, King Herod's reign was defined by great architec...

11 Des 202340min

Mother Shipton: Tudor Prophetess of England's Doom

Mother Shipton: Tudor Prophetess of England's Doom

Did a Tudor prophetess correctly predict the English Civil War, the Crimean War, the sinking of the Titanic, World War One and the end of days? And what does she have to do with turning teddy bears in...

7 Des 202336min

A Guide to Ancient Egypt

A Guide to Ancient Egypt

Egypt was a vast kingdom of the ancient world. Its rulers were considered gods and wielded tremendous power and wealth. Egyptian scholars, astrologists and thinkers pioneered in their fields. Lasting ...

6 Des 202341min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
henrettelsespodden
rss-katastrofe
rss-historiske-romanser
historier-som-endret-norge
rss-benadet
historier-som-endret-verden
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
sektledere
aftenposten-historie
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
historiepodden
rss-frontkjemperne
med-egne-oyne
rss-gamle-greier
undersattene
vare-historier
taakeprat
sannhet-eller-konspirasjon
historiepodden-ww2