100 Years Since One Of The Biggest Battles In Wales’ History

The centenary of the Battle of the Somme – one of the most important and biggest battles in the history of Wales and of the First World War – takes place on 1 July 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 38th Division Welsh suffered 4,000 losses from a total of 20,000 soldiers, with tens of thousands wounded, the Welsh were withdrawn from the line following the battle for Mametz Wood due to losses and wounded. The losses incurred on just this day were terrible, some 57,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers were made casualty including 19,000 killed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Battle of the Somme took place from 1 July to 18 November 1916 and has come to symbolise the enormous losses and dreadful conditions of the First World War. More than one million French, German, British and Commonwealth soldiers had been killed, wounded, reported missing or captured. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​