The offensive on the Somme took place between July and November 1916 and
is perhaps the most iconic battle of the Great War. It was there that
Kitchener's famous 'Pals' Battalions were first sent into action en
masse and it was a battlefield where many of the dreams and aspirations
of a nation, hopeful of victory, were agonizingly dashed.
Because of its legendary status, the Somme has been the subject of many
books, and many more will come out next year. However, nothing has ever
been published on the Battle in which the soldiers' own photographs have
been used to illustrate both the campaign's extraordinary comradeship
and its carnage.