Between 1 July and 18 November 1916 Britain's new volunteer army took the leading role in a battle on the Western Front for the first time. 

The Somme offensive was intended to achieve a decisive victory for the British and French Allies over the Germans on the Western Front after 18 months of trench deadlock. 

Although the Germans were weakened, the Allies failed to achieve all of their objectives and the war was to continue for another two years.  Over a million men from both sides became casualties in the long and bitter struggle on the Somme in 1916.