The First Day of the Somme remembered

On this day in 1916 the Battle of the Somme began.

Rifleman George Murrell: 13th Battalion The Rifle Brigade, was one of those who went over the top on that morning 95 years ago.

‘There was no artillery barrage and so every sniper and machine-gunner had a marvellous target as we advanced in short rushes. I was so laden I had difficulty in keeping up and I must have made a good single target at times. But all the time I tried to keep up with my brother. Then he went down beside me and I yelled, ‘What’s the matter? Are you hit?’ And he looked up at me in an absolute fury, and shouted: ‘No! I’m picking daisies, you bloody fool!’ We had to go on. You couldn’t stop for a wounded man – even if it was your own brother.’