On 21st February 1916, The Battle of Verdun was started by the German army on the Meuse. However, both sides were on the trench warfare and never moved. Lasting three and a half months, it was one of the most destructive periods of fighting in the First World War. One interesting fact is that for the first time in history tanks were used at the Battle of the Somme. Facts about Battle of Somme 4: The First Battle of the Marne. Because many men from the same town were grouped together in the British Pal's battalions, when a battalion was wiped out, often this meant that all the men from a given town in Britain were killed. Despite the heavy losses of the first day of battle the allies continued the battle for several more months. One of the bloodiest clashes of the First World War, the five-month battle of the Somme claimed the lives of more than 127,000 British soldiers, with more than 57,000 British casualties on the first day alone. How did the battle of the Somme start? For many in Britain, the resulting battle remains the most painful and infamous episode of … For many people, the Battle of the Somme was the battle that symbolised the horrors of warfare in World War One; this one battle had a marked effect on overall casualty figures and seemed to epitomise the futility of trench warfare. Summer 2016 marks the 100th Anniversary of the battle, and will be commemorated in many parts of the world. Despite the heavy losses of the first day of battle the allies continued the battle for several more months. The amount of casualties on the first day alone is astounding, but there were over a million casualties once the battle was through. At the battl esite of the Somme, 10,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony on July 1st. It became a huge military engagement with over three million men engaged in battle throughout the summer, autumn and winter of 1916. Here are eight facts about the battle of the Somme, one of Britain's most famous battles… Interesting Facts about the Battle of the Somme. One interesting fact is that for the first time in history tanks were used at the Battle of the Somme. On September 15 of 1916 the British unleashed this new weapon at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (part of the Battle of the Somme). The first tanks to engage in battle were at the Battle of the Somme. The Battle of the Somme (also known as the Somme Offensive) was one of the longest and most remembered battles of World War 1. On September 15 of 1916 the British unleashed this new weapon at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (part of the Battle of the Somme). It lasted from 1st July to 18th November 1916 on the banks of the Somme River, in France. Therefore, the French army who never originally focused at the Somme began to be diverted to fight in the Battle of Verdun. There were over a million casualties on both sides and by the end of the campaign the British had only advanced seven miles. How did the battle of the Somme start? The battle occurred on 1st July to 18th November 1916 in France. On 21st February 1916, The Battle of Verdun was started by the German army on the Meuse. It was also initially planned for August 1916; On 1 July 1916, the Battle of the Somme began with the expectation of bringing the First World War to an end. It lasted from 1st July to 18th November 1916 on the banks of the Somme River, in France. The division arrived to take part in the third big push of the offensive, designed to crack the German lines once and for all. That’s why it was called Battle of Somme. It lasted until November 1916. A truly nightmarish world greeted the New Zealand Division when it joined the Battle of the Somme in early September 1916.