This is the story of the first day of the Somme Offensive, 1 July 1916 - the single bloodiest day in British military history. 57,000 British soldiers became casualties, most within a few hours of the initial attack. The offensive was part of a doomed attempt to break the deadlock of trench warfare. But behind the myths lies the story of an elaborately-planned battle, fought against a determined and experienced German enemy, and a struggle that was seen at the time as both unavoidable and necess