Between 1 July and 18 November 1916 Britain s new volunteer army took the leading role in a battle on the Western Front for the fi rst time. The Somme off ensive was intended to achieve a decisive victory for the British and French Allies over the Germans, yet the Allies failed to achieve all of their objectives and the war was to continue for another two years. Over a million men from both sides became casualties in the long and bitter struggle on the Somme in 1916. This book tells this story through the unique collections of IWM. Using artefacts, medals, documents, interviews, fi lm, art, and photographs, it reconstructs not only the history of the famous battle, but provides an intimate insight into the experiences of those who were there.