The Somme Offensive

Fought from 1 July to 13 November 1916 along the Somme River in northern France, it remains a solemn reminder of the courage, endurance and sacrifice of those who served and now one hundred and ten years later, the Somme Offensive continues to remind us not only of the terrible human cost of war, but also of the courage, resilience and mateship shown by those who served in the harsh circumstances.

Planned as a joint British and French offensive against German forces on the Western Front, the battle became one of the most costly campaigns in history. Over nearly five months of fighting in harsh and dangerous conditions, more than three million soldiers served on both sides, and more than one million were killed or wounded.

For Australia, the fighting at Fromelles on 19 July 1916 marked a tragic beginning on the Western Front. Soldiers of the newly arrived 5th Australian Division, alongside the British 61st Division, were ordered to attack heavily fortified German positions near Aubers Ridge in French Flanders. The attack was intended to draw German reserves away from the Somme, where the larger Allied offensive had begun on 1 July.

Instead, it ended in disaster. Australian and British soldiers advanced across open ground in daylight, under direct observation and heavy fire. More than 5,500 Australians became casualties. Almost 2,000 were killed in action or died of wounds, and around 400 were captured.

It remains one of the most grievous losses suffered by an Australian division in a single day during the First World War, and for many, Fromelles stands among the most tragic events in Australia’s wartime history.

Only days later, on the night of 23 July, the 1st Australian Division entered the Somme campaign with an attack on German positions at Pozières. The Australians succeeded in taking the village, but the cost that followed was severe.

Over the following six weeks, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Australian Divisions fought in the bitter struggle for Pozières and the high ground towards Mouquet Farm. The fighting tested them under conditions that are difficult to imagine today.

In just 42 days, Australian troops carried out 19 attacks, including 16 at night. They endured relentless artillery fire, heavy losses and close-quarters combat. Approximately 23,000 Australians became casualties during the fighting at Pozières alone, including about 6,800 who lost their lives.

As we commemorate this anniversary, we honour all who fought, all who suffered, and all who never returned. 

We remember their service with gratitude and reverence, and we acknowledge the lasting place their sacrifice holds in Australia’s national story.