Page 48 - History of War - Issue 30-16

SOMME
1916 2016
Soldiers of a
Württemberg
infantry unit in a
well-made trench
at the Somme,
Summer 1916

WACHT AN

DER SOMME:

THE GERMAN EXPERIENCE

WORDSROBINSCHÄFER
Across the wilderness of No Man’s Land, German defenders weathered
waves of French and British attacks, determined to hold their positions

part for a few French same areas since 1914, the German defenders men now formed the backbone of a resolute
attacks in early 1915, had developed an intimate knowledge of the and formidable army – an army that was high
Athe German army on the terrain, which allowed them to stage a highly in morale and more than prepared to resist
Somme had enjoyed a relatively effective defence. everything the British and French armies could
quiet time before the launch The German armies on the Western Front throw at them.
of the Allied offensive in July. were highly skilled and excellently equipped
The trench systems were deep for defensive warfare. Many of the i eld-grey Prelude
and well-made and bristled with barbed wire, veterans had survived the bitter i ghting at By June 1916, most German ofi cers, including
machine-gun positions, fortii ed strongpoints Ypres and had repelled Allied onslaughts at Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, were well
and bomb-proof dugouts. Having occupied the Neuve Chapelle, Loos and Champagne. These aware that the Allies were planning a large-

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