Histocaching

Mines on the first day of the Somme

ivandps — 2025-10-08T14:15:46Z

On the morning of 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme during World War I, underground explosive charges planted by British tunnelling units were detonated beneath the German front lines. The joint explosion of these mines ranks among the largest artificial non-nuclear explosions.
Eight big and eleven tiny charges were buried deep in the chalky earth to make up the 19 mines. They were "overcharged" to throw up high lips for screening and to give advantage to the attackers (…)

- 1st Battalion, Royal Newfoundland Regiment

1st Battalion, Royal Newfoundland Regiment

ivandps — 2025-10-08T13:35:41Z

Battle of the Somme
In France, after Galipoli, the regiment regained battalion strength in preparation for the Battle of the Somme. The regiment, still in the 29th Division, went into the line in April 1916 at Beaumont-Hamel. Beaumont-Hamel was near the northern end of the 45-kilometre (28 mi) front being assaulted by the joint French and British force. The attack, originally scheduled for 29 June 1916, was postponed by two days to 1 July 1916, partly on account of inclement weather, and (…)

- 1st Battalion, Royal Newfoundland Regiment

Royal Newfoundland Regiment

ivandps — 2025-10-08T13:21:39Z

During the First World War the battalion-sized Newfoundland Regiment was the only North American unit to fight in the Gallipoli campaign of 1915. Later in the war the regiment was virtually wiped out at Beaumont Hamel on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, but was rebuilt and continued to serve throughout France and Belgium until the armistice, then serving as part of the British Army of the Rhine in 1919. In December 1917, George V bestowed the regiment with the right to (…)

- Royal Newfoundland Regiment