Battle Of The Somme

Question 1

When was the French Army about to collapse?

Answer 1

In July 1916

Question 2

Why did many troops refuse to fight at the Battle of Verdun?

Answer 2

There was a high casualty rate

Question 3

Who was the general of the British army at the time?

Answer 3

General Haig

Question 4

What was General Haig ordered to do?

Answer 4

To divert the Germans away from Verdun

Question 5

How was General Haig supposed to divert the Germans?

Answer 5

By launching an attack on the Somme.

Question 6

How long did the Battle of Somme last for?

Answer 6

It lasted for 5 months

Question 7

When did the Battle of the Somme start and end?

Answer 7

Started 1st July 1916 and ended 18th December 1916

Question 8

How many Cambridgeshire battalion sent 750 over the top?

Answer 8

11

Question 9

How many people did the Cambridgeshire battalion send over the top and how many became casualties?

Answer 9

750 people were sent over the top and 691 became casualties

Question 10

How many shells were fired at the Germans in the initial bombardment?

Answer 10

1,738,000 shells were fired at the Germans in the initial

bombardment.

Question 11

What was Britain’s reason for attacking at the Somme?

Answer 11

To take pressure off the French Army at Verdun

Question 12

How much land was gained?

Answer 12

Only a few kilometres had been gained

Question 13

Name some of the British plans in the Battle of the Somme.

Answer 13

• the aim of the attack was to break through the Germans front line of attack
• haig planned to attack on high grounds that was well defended
• haigs plan was to order a big push on the Somme front to create a gap in the Germans front line then hell pour cavalry through.

Question 14

Give a description of the plan

Answer 14

This battle became known as the ‘Big Push’.A week long artillery bombardment by 1500 guns would take
place.Britain’s new volunteer soldiers were ready to fight.They would go over the top in waves of 1,000 men, 90 metres apart, along a 15 mile front in the Somme area.The attack would begin with a week-long artillery bombardment of the German front line to destroy their defences. (Haig claimed, ‘not even a rat would be alive’ at the end of it.)The Infantry would then advance to take hold of the German positions, closely followed by a charge of Cavalry who would sweep through breaking the enemy line in two.

Question 15

What is Infantry?

Answer 15

Soldiers on foot

Question 16

What is Cavalry?

Answer 16

Soldiers on horses

Question 17

What does the word attrition mean?

WHAT DOES THE WORD MORALE MEAN?

WHAT WAS THE ‘CREEPING BARRAGE’?

WHAT TWO ACTIVITIES HAMPERED THE
CREEPING BARRAGE?

WHY DID VON FALKENHAYN CHOoSE TO
ATTACK VERDUN?

WHEN DID THE BATTLE OF VERDUN
START?

HOW MANY CASUALTIES WERE THERE
AT THE BATTLE OF VERDUN?

HOW MANY WERE FRENCH? HOW MANY
WERE GERMAN?

WHEN DID THE BATTLE OF VERDUN
END?

Answer 17

1.Attrition, an offensive after offensive attack to ear
down an enemy

2. Confidence, enthusiasm and discipline(which
   soldiers need during war)
3. The creeping barrage was the infantry
   advancement after artillery shelling
4. Gas attack and artillery shelling of fellow soldiers
   by mistake
5. To kill so many French as possible in order to kill
   their fighting spirit and morale.
6. February 21, 1916
7. 700, 000 casualties
8. French – 362,000; german – 337,000
9. December 16, 1916

Question 18

What were the weaknesses of the plan?

Answer 18

BRITISH PREPARATIONS IN FRENCH
NEWSPAPER-ELEMENT OF
SURPRISE LOST

BRITISH AMMUNITION DUMP VISIBLE
TO THE GERMANS

GERMANS WERE SITUATED IN HIGH
WELL DEFENDED GROUNDS-BRITISH
WERE WELL AWARE OF HOW WELL
BUILT GERMAN TRENCHES WERE
BUT DID NOT CHANGE THE PLANS.

Question 19

How many casualties of The Battle of the Somme.

Answer 19

The British suffered 420,000
casualties, French 195,000 and
the Germans around 650,000.

Question 20

What are pals battalion?

Answer 20

a group of soldiers who were friends, joining the army at the same time from the same place.

Question 21

What was achieved?

Answer 21

On the one hand 400,000 British soldiers
died on the Somme and no significant
breakthrough was achieved.

On the other hand, it eased the pressure on
the French at Verdun.

The Germans lost almost as many soldiers
as the British and in the longer term, the
German army found it difficult to replace
those losses

The British army found it easier to replace
its losses with troops from the Empire and
in 1917 the USA entered the war as well.