NAM.1995-06-40-1

Gen Hunter-Weston’s message to the men of VIII Corps, 4 Jul 1916, after the attack on Beaumont-Hamel and Serre on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, World War One (1914-1918). Hunter-Weston's divisions suffered some of the heaviest casualties during the early days of the Somme offensive and they failed to capture any of their main objectives. This did little for his reputation which had been damaged during the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 when he was referred to by the troops under his command as ‘The Butcher of Helles’ due to his disregard for their welfare and ill-conceived battle plans.

Somme, Battle of the, 1916 (World War One, Western Front 1914-1918), Beaumont Hamel, Action at, 1916 (World War One, Western Front 1914-1918), Ancre, Battle of, 1916 (World War One, Western Front 1914-1918)