battle of the sommes first only tank battle

Lochnagar Mine Crater Memorial, La Boisselle Infantry Attackįollowing the explosion of the mines the battle on 1 July 1916 began with theīritish infantry attack at Zero Hour 07.30 hours along a front of about 18 miles from the diversionary attack It contained 60,000 lbs of ammonal split between two charges at a depth of 52 The mine on the southern side of the road, near La Boisselle, was at a Lochnagar MineĪerial photograph taken in the 1980s of the huge crater left by the explosion of the mine at ItĬontained 40,600 lbs of ammanol and was at the end of a 1,030 feet long gallery, the longest ever driven intoĬhalk during the First World War. The mine on the northern side of the road was at a position called Y Sap. On this same corps front a mine was blown at Bulgar Point, a heavily wired German strongpoint south-east of Mametz,Īnd four small mines were detonated under the German line at a place called Hidden Wood between Fricourt and Mametz.Īlso at 07.28 hours two very large mines were detonated on the III Corps front on the both sides Tambour, Bulgar Point & Hidden Wood Minesĭetonated on the XV Corps front under the German position known as The Tambour to the west of Fricourt.

Mines north of CarnoyĪt 07.27 hours two mines were exploded north of Carnoy on the XIII Corps front. Of the mine was filmed by the British Offical War Cameraman Lieutenant Geoffrey Malins. Troops sheltering in their dugouts and bunkers forewarning that the British attack was imminent. Was timed to lift off the German front line at the same time of ten minutes before Zero Hour, gave the German This was the only mine to be blown under the German positions north of the Ancre river.ĭetonation a full ten minutes before the infantry attack at Zero Hour, and the fact that the heavy artillery The position was a German strongpoint in the German line on the crest of

GWPDA(5)Īt 07.20 hours, ten minutes before Zero Hour, a huge mine was detonated under Hawthorn Redoubt in the VIIIĬorps sector at Beaumont Hamel. Photograph of the explosion of the mine at Hawthorn Ridge at 07.20 hours on 1 July 1916.

Battle of the sommes first only tank battle