The 2nd Battle of Ypres April to May, 1915 Belgium

Somme

the German Army released one hundred and sixty-eight tons of chlorine gas over a 6.5 km (4.0 mi) front on the part of the line held by French Territorial and colonial Moroccan and Algerian troops of the French 45th and 78th divisions. While this is often recognized as the first use of chemical warfare, poison gases were used at several earlier battles, including the Battle of Bolimov three months earlier. (However this is known as the first successful use of poison gas as the gas used in the Battle of Bolimov liquified in the cold environment and was rendered harmless.) The attack involved a massive logistical effort, as German troops hauled 5,730 cylinders of chlorine gas, weighing 90 pounds (41 kg) each, to the front by hand. The German soldiers also opened the cylinders by hand, relying on the prevailing winds to carry the gas towards enemy lines. Because of this method of dispersal, a large number of German soldiers were injured or killed in the process of carrying out the attack

“The First German Gas Attack at Ypres”, 1918 Approximately 6,000 French and colonial troops died within ten minutes at Ypres, primarily from asphyxiation and subsequent tissue damage in the lungs. Many more were blinded. Chlorine gas forms hypochlorous acid when combined with water, destroying moist tissues such as lungs and eyes. The chlorine gas, being denser than air, quickly filled the trenches, forcing the troops to climb out into heavy enemy fire. “The First German Gas Attack at Ypres”, 1918 William Roberts

Around 5 000 troops died within 10 minutes of the attack

Canadians used urine-soaked handkerchiefs (the ammonia in the urine reacted with the chlorine, neutralizing it, and the water would dissolve the chlorine, allowing the soldiers to breathe) to fight through the gas attacks

Would mark the first time in history a small colonial power (1st Canadian Division) would defeat a great imperial power (Germany).

Although the battle was considered a “stalemate”, the act of re-establishing the front lines earned Canadian soldiers much respect.

“Dressing Station” where John McRae worked as a doctor

"In Flanders Fields“ "In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.   We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.   Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with those who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields."

Battle of the Somme, France July, 1916

Somme

The first battle where the British tank was used in fighting…

One of the largest battles in the Great War, with over 1 million men wounded or killed. Indeed considered one of humanity’s bloodiest battles.

The first battle where people at home saw what was happening on the front. The Battle of Albert comprised the first two weeks of Anglo-French offensive operations in the Battle of the Somme All in all the Somme battle would last 141 days.

And a battle that was fought by the soldiers of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment

Why did the RNR fight as part of Britain and not with the CEF? Newfoundland hadn’t joined Confederation at this time in history

The Somme was the debut of the Kitchener Army created by Lord Kitchener's call for recruits at the start of the war. The British volunteers were often the fittest, most enthusiastic and best educated citizens but British casualties were also inexperienced soldiers and it has been claimed that their loss was of lesser military significance than the losses of the German army. British survivors of the battle gained experience and the BEF learned how to conduct the mass warfare that the other armies had been fighting since 1914.

General Douglas Haig

On the first day of battle, 57 500 British soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing. Of the dead, 700 were from the Royal Newfoundland Regiment The Battle of the Somme was one of the costliest battles of the First World War. The original Allied estimate of casualties on the Somme, made at the Chantilly conference on 15 November, was 485,000 British and French casualties and 630,000 German.

In Newfoundland, July 1st isn’t just “Canada Day”… it is a day of commemoration and mourning for those lost

“Battle Trench at the Somme”, 1919 Mary Riter Hamilton Germans referred to the Somme as the “blutbad” or “bloodbath” and the “bloody grave of the German field army” “Battle Trench at the Somme”, 1919 Mary Riter Hamilton