S1E7: The Battle of the Somme (Part III)

Was this battle a success? The Allies suffered over 614,000 losses including 24,700 Canadian men. Because of the massive losses, the leadership of the British Expeditionary Force, which was also in charge of the Canadians, especially Douglas Haig, was heavily questioned and criticized. But if there were any positives to the slaughter, officers were forced to assess their strategies and tactics to overcome not just the Germans but also the sinking landscape.

We talk about more mud, tragedy, tanks, successes on the field, and even our old nemesis Sam Hughes!

Books

Cook, Tim. At the Sharp End. Toronto, Penguin Group (Canada), 2009.

Liddle, Peter. The 1916 Battle of the Somme Reconsidered. South Yorkshire, Pen & Sword Books Ltd., 2016.

Nicholson, Colonel G.W.L. Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919: Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War. Ottawa, Queen’s Printer and Controller of Stationery, 1962.

Websites

Roy, R. H., & Foot, R. (2006, December 21). “Canada and the battle of the Somme.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-of-the-somme. Accessed January 12, 2022.

Epic History. “WWI: Battle of the Somme 1916.” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqvALkpsfRo&t=181s. Accessed February 2022.

Epic History. “World War One 1915.” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqvALkpsfRo&t=181s. Accessed February 2022.

Epic History. “World War One 1916.” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-b746J2SdI. Accessed February 2022.

Image Credit: Canada. Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada/