1. Source B. From a book written by Historian Philip Warner in 1991
Source A. Written in 1922 by Colonel J.H Boraston. He was Haig’s personal secretary during the war.
“The Battle of the Somme was a great triumph for the genius of British leadership”
Source B. From a book written by Historian Philip Warner in 1991
“If the criterion of a successful General is to win wars then Haig must be judged a success. The cost of victory was appalling, but Haig’s military methods were in line with the ideas of the time, when attrition was the method all sides used to achieve victory.”
Source D. An account by Private Karl Blenk, a German soldier “When the English came at us, it seemed that we could not stop them. But then we saw that they were walking. When we started firing, we did not have to aim-we just fired into them.
Source E. From the biography of the German General Ludendorff, My War Memories , written in 1919.
“ We had heavy losses in men and material. As a result of the Somme we were completely exhausted on the Western Front. From that point our defeat seemed inevitable.”
Source C.
British Punch cartoon 1916
It highlights that Generals were never on the front line in battles
Source F. A report by Haig on the first day of the attack July 1st 1916
Very successful attack this morning….All went like clockwork….The battle is going well and the Germans are surrendering.... Our troops are in wonderful spirits.
Source G. Written in a biography of Haig by Historian Gerard De Groot in 1988.
“While Haig slept in a cosy bed in a quiet country chateau and dined on the best food available, his men lived
in muddy, noisy trenches sharing their bully beef and biscuits with big , bloated rats. It apparently did not bother
Haig that his war was so much more comfortable than that of the men he commanded.”

2. Source L. Frank Lindley of Barnsley Pals.
Source H. Diary extract from General Sir Douglas Haig
“Reports up to 8a.m. seemed most satisfactory. Our troops had crossed the enemy’s front trenches everywhere”
Source I. A memoir by Haig reflecting back on the first day of the attack July 1st 1916
“Field Marshall Lord Kitchener – Secretary of State for War was in charge of recruiting the British Army – Supported the idea of the Pal’s Battalions. Many of these battalions were inexperienced and lacked the military skill for such an offense.”
Source K. An account by Brigadier Rees, (British) “Our barrage was accurate and severe. Despite our heavy fire, he saw the Germans, standing up above the parapet, fire very rapidly at our advancing infantry. I was amazed at their bravery”
Source L. Frank Lindley of Barnsley Pals.
“ We were told to walk over. Which, in itself, was stupid. And we had to go over in a line, walking. That was the stupid idea. But, still, we had to do what we were told.”
Source J. John Terraine, The Smoke and the Fire: Myths and Anti-Myths of War , Sidgwick & Jackson, 1980
'By the end of July, the German soldiers had only responded to less than sixty-seven counter-attacks by the British and French. That is why it is so utterly dreadful to dwell constantly on the freak of 1 July, and to associate the whole battle with the image of that day…
The Somme was the turning point.  The first dim indication of the still far-distant victories of 1918.'
Source M. German soldier.
“after such a long period of bombing we knew something was about to happen. Our generals made up build underground shelters to protect us from the shelling. These were metres below the ground. The British did not know about these.”
Source N. Entry from Haig’s diary, written from behind the front lines.
“The men are in splendid spirits. Several have said that they have never been so informed of the nature of operations before them. The wire has never been so well cut, nor the artillery preparation so thorough.”

3. Source P. From Haig to British newspapers, 1916
Source O. Written in 1976, for 60th commemorations of the Somme.
“it was slaughter. The Commanders, Haig and Rawlinson, didn’t care about us. I don’t think they were bothered about human life.
Source P. From Haig to British newspapers, 1916
“Together with patience, the nation must be taught to bear losses.
No amount of skill on the part of the higher commanders, no training, however good, on the part of officers and men, no superiority, however great, of arms and ammunition, will enable victories to be won without the sacrifice of men's lives”
Source R. Approximate casualty figures for battle from 1st July -19th November 1916
British Empire- 419,000
French- 194,451
Germans- 650,000 .
Source S. From a map of German defences on the Western Front “Owing to the battle, Germany has been unable to move troops to meet the Russian offensive in the East. Had she been able to move these troops it is more than probable that the Russian offensive would have been unable to make progress”
Source Q.
Front line at the Somme
Source T. George Morgan, a soldier. From a TV interview in 1976
“it was clear there were no gaps in the barbed wire at the time of attack. How did planners imagine that Tommies would get through the German wire? Any Tommie could have told them that shelling only lifts and drops the barbed wire in more of a tangled mess than before,”
Source U. Entry into Sir Douglas Haig’s diary. 30th June 1916
“Reports are most satisfactory. Our troops had everywhere crossed the enemy’s front line trenches.

4. Source
What Can I learn?
Can I trust it?

5. Source A Source C Source D
Written in 1922 by Colonel Boraston (he was Haig’s secretary)
“The Battle of the Somme was a great triumph for the genius of British leadership”
Source B
An account by Private Blenk, a German soldier
“When the English came at us, it seemed that we could not stop them. But then we saw that they were walking. When we started firing, we did not have to aim-we just fired into them.
Source C
From a report by Haig on the first day of the attack July 1st 1916
“Very successful attack this morning….All went like clockwork….The battle is going well and the Germans are surrendering.... Our troops are in wonderful spirits”
Source D
From the biography of the German General Ludendorff, written in 1919.
“ We had heavy losses in men and material. As a result of the Somme we were completely exhausted on the Western Front. From that point our defeat seemed inevitable.”
Differentiated sheet

6. Written by a high ranking member of the British Empire
Source E
Written by a high ranking member of the British Empire
“The British attack was very good and heavy, however the Germans still stood above the trenches and shot at us”
Source F
A memory from Haig about the 1st day of the Somme
“Lord Kitchener was in charge of hiring the British Army. Many of soldiers in the army were not prepared for war.”
Source G
Frank Lindley A British soldier
“We were told to walk over in straight lines. We all thought this was stupid, but you do as you are told.”
Source H
From a German Soldier.
“ The British did not know we had dug trenches underground to hide from their heavy bombing.”
Differentiated sheet

7. Source I Source K Source L
Written a British soldier
“Haig did not care about us or human life”
Source J
Number of people injured during the whole of the Battle
British Empire- 419,000
French- 194,451
Germans- 650,000
Source K
George Morgan, a soldier. From a TV interview in 1976
“It was clear there were no gaps in the German barbed wire”.
Source L
From a map of German battles
“because of the Battle of the Somme, Germany had to use all its soldiers to fight at the Battle of the Somme, moving their soldiers away from fighting the Russians“
Differentiated sheet

8. Source
What Can I learn?
Can I trust it?