As the men clambered over the top on 1st July for the opening salvo of the Battle of the Somme, the average British Tommy was hauling sixty-six pounds (almost 30KG) of equipment over with him. Basic assault gear included (but was not limited to) the following:
Fully functioning rifle (Lee Enfield SMLE) with fixed bayonet
Ammunition for the aforementioned rifle – anywhere between 170 and 220 rounds
Two No.5 Mills grenades
A waterproof cape
Two sandbags
Steel helmet
Two gas masks in a satchel
A pair of goggles in case of tear gas
First aid field dressings and iodine
Rolled waterproof groundsheet
Water bottle (filled)
Haversack with mess-tin, shaving kit, extra socks and rations
For the show on the Somme, almost half the men would carry shovels or picks which were strapped to their backs.
If that lot wasn’t enough, each battalion issued some more supplies throughout its 1000 men:
1,600 flares for communicating with Royal Flying Corps observers
512 haversacks containing extra ammunition for Lewis guns
64 bundles of 5ft wooden pickets to act as trench supports
10 trench bridges – each 10ft long and to be carried by two men
16 sledgehammers
1 tin of grey paint in order to paint the units identification on any German artillery guns that were captured
As a result of these extra delights, some men carried up to seventy-six pounds (34.4KG) of kit into battle. Such a burden meant many men struggled to get out of their own trench at zero hour. Once out into No Man’s Land the weight of their packs meant it was impossible to stumble along any quicker than a steady walk – they would prove easy targets for German machine-gunners.
I went carrying a full kit, blanket in the pack, a rifle, helmet, a full-size navvy’s pick across my shoulders, the pack on my back, two hundred rounds of ammunition and twenty Mills bombs. I could have been a mule, you know, not a human being! We had to jump out of the trenches with that, and not only did I carry my own twenty bombs, but I collected two bags of twenty each from one fellow that was wounded, and another that come down with shell shock. So, I went in with sixty bombs. I was a moving arsenal! A bit of shrapnel would have shot me into the clouds!
Pte. Herbert Hall, 12th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment.
In contrast to the ordinary rank and file, officers led their men carrying only gas masks, ammunition pouches and their trusty Webley pistol. They wore the same uniform as the men in an effort to appear inconspicuous, but as they were invariably at the head of their unit urging their men on, they were often easily singled out for special attention from the German machine gun teams.
This is a preview sample chapter from my forthcoming book - The Battle of the Somme: A Layman's Guide. Coming soon to all good online bookstores.
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