Somme

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Information for Schools

What areas of the curriculum is the exhibition relevant to?

The online exhibition is particularly useful for Key Stage 3 and GCSE History students and AS/A2 English Literature students.

How is the exhibition organised?

It is divided into three sections which are easy to navigate.

Battle
This provides useful information about:

• Context of the Battle – why it took place and the planning involved
• Different stages of the Battle, not only the notorious first day
• How it was different from previous campaigns in terms of scale and the fact that this was the first major engagement of Kitchener’s army of volunteers 
• Technical developments in strategy and the use of heavy artillery and new weapons such as the tank
• Nature of the German defensive position and how well built and fortified their trenches were
• The massive learning curve that the Somme represented for both ordinary soldiers and those in command such as Sir Douglas Haig
• Impact on communities through the use of the Pal’s Battalions, where friends were encouraged to join up together with the understanding that they would train and fight together 
• Trench life and the equipment carried by soldiers ‘going over the top’ 
• Contribution of the Commonwealth

Personal Stories
This is the most fascinating section and deals with individual experiences that reveal the human cost of the Battle and show how people cope in difficult circumstances.
Here you will find out about:

• Edward Colle whose story gives an insight into what it was like to be in charge of one of the first tanks
• Role of women such Dorothy Field who was one of the first women to volunteer to work overseas as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse and witnessed the steady flow of casualties from the Somme.
• Lanoe Hawker who was one of the first flying aces in the newly formed Royal Flying Corps
• Effect of the Battle on civilians such as Kitty Morter whose young husband was encouraged to join up by the popular Music Hall star Vesta Tilley and who was killed before his son was born
• Interesting contrasts can be made between Sir Douglas Haig who was in overall command with figures such as the poet and writer Robert Graves to Percy Boswell killed in the first hour of the campaign and whose optimistic last letter was forwarded to his parents shortly afterwards

The Somme Revisited
In this section students have a chance to consider some modern military historians’ interpretations of this important Battle and gain an insight into how interpretations of historical events can change over time and be influenced by popular culture.

What resources are available?

In addition to the factual information there are many photographs showing the different stages of the campaign, conditions and individuals.  A range of evidence is used from artefacts, documents, sound and film.  There are transcripts of both the sound extracts and the documents, which make them easier to use in the classroom, especially with an interactive whiteboard.  In The Somme Revisited section there is information about the setting up of the Museum and how the Battle of the Somme was the first major engagement that was recorded on film, in photographs and art.