In the first of a three-part series marking the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, we explore the fighting in the northern sector of the battlefield on 1 July 1916.

This episode examines the attacks at Serre, Beaumont-Hamel and Thiepval, where some of the most dramatic and costly actions of the opening day unfolded. We look at the ground over which the soldiers advanced, the plans behind the attacks, the units involved, and how the battle developed. From the struggles of the Pals Battalions attacking Serre to the devastating losses suffered below the heights of Thiepval, we trace the story of the men who fought there and assess the outcomes of their efforts.

Along the way, we examine the key commanders, the challenges posed by the terrain and German defences, and the human cost of the battle, exploring the casualties suffered and the legacy left behind on this iconic section of the Western Front.

The episode concludes with a virtual walk across the modern battlefield, following the route of the attacks and contemplating that story, that legacy of 1 July 1916 today.

Main Image: Troops waiting, some still asleep, in a support trench shortly before zero hour, Beaumont Hamel. (IWM Q64). Image by Royal Engineers No.1 Printing Company.

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