Somme Offensive, March 1918

This is an account of the British Expeditionary Force's defensive battle on the Somme in March and April of 1918.

It starts with the huge German offensive along a 60 mile front on 21 March.

Third and Fifth Armies then had to make a series of fighting withdrawals in which some battalions had to fight their way out while others were overrun.

After three years in the trenches, men had to battle in the open without tanks and often without artillery support.

As communications failed, battalion and company commanders found themselves having to command in what was essentially a desperate infantry struggle.

Each stage of the two week battle is given the same treatment, covering details about the most talked about side of the campaign, the British side.

Over 50 new maps chart the day by day progress of each corps on each day.