Forgotten Voices of the Somme

Itis1916,theSomme.Withoveramillioncasualties,itwasthemostbrutalbattleoftheFirstWorldWar.Itisaclashthatevennow,over90yearslater,remainssearedintohistoricalconsciousness,conjuringupimagesofmuddytrenchesandyounglivestragicallywasted.Itsfirstday,July1st1916—onwhichtheBritishsuffered57,470casualties,including19,240dead—isthebloodiestdayinthehistoryoftheBritisharmedforcestodate.OntheGermanside,anofficerfamouslydescribeditas“themuddygraveoftheGermanfieldarmy.”Bytheendofthebattle,theBritishhadlearnedmanylessonsinmodernwarfarewhiletheGermanshadsufferedirreplaceablelosses,ultimatelylayingthefoundationsfortheAllies'finalvictoryontheWesternFront.DrawingonawealthofmaterialfromthevastImperialWarMuseumSoundArchive,ForgottenVoicesoftheSommepresentsanintimate,poignant,sometimesevenbleaklyfunnyinsightintolifeonthefrontline:fromtheday-to-daystruggleofextraordinarycircumstancestothewhiteheatofbattleandtheconstantthreatofinjuryordeath.Featuringcontributionsfromsoldiersofbothsidesandofdifferingbackgrounds,ranksandroles,,thisisthedefinitiveoralhistoryofthisuniqueandterribleconflict.