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The First Day of the Somme

Module description

This module examines the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army; a day which has entered Britain’s national consciousness. By focusing on a single day this module explores in depth the battle and its significance. This module will introduce you to the analysis of original sources – and their uses and limitations in the understanding of the past. As such it does not seek to present a fully comprehensive history of the first day of the Somme nor can it cover all the many sources that might be looked at for its study. Instead, the module looks at a representative sample of different types of source ranging from official accounts, diaries, interviews, newspaper despatches, interviews, film and novels. It will allow you to look beyond the national myths surrounding this infamous day, and revaluate the evidence for themselves.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to use sources related to the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, to explore the nature of the battle, its impact on British experience during the Great War, and its central place in the representations of war.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Understand and assess the nature of the Battle of the Somme, its impact on British experience during the Great War, and its central place in the representations of war
• 2. Work critically with a range of written and visual sources for the history of the First World War, with particular reference to the Battle of the Somme

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Identify the problems of using historical sources, e.g. utility, limitations, etc., and compare the validity of different types of source
• 4. Present historical arguments and answer questions orally

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Conduct independent study and group work, including the presentation of material for group discussion, developed through the mode of learning
• 6. Digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, developed through the mode of assessment
• 7. Write to a tight word-limit

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

The module will look at different kinds of sources for the study of the Somme- memoirs, oral histories, photographs, film, novels, poetry, official records, memorials - to ask whether we can have a definitive version of the Battle and its place in British history.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• M.Middlebrook, The First Day on the Somme (Penguin, 1965)
• G. Sheffield, The Somme (Cassell MIlitary, 2003)
• G. Gliddon, The Legacy of the Somme 1916: the Battle in Fact, Film and Fiction (Sutton, 1996)
• J. Masefield, The Old Front Line (Heinmann, 1917)
• Doulgas Haig, Douglas Haig: War Diaries and Letters (Weidenfield and Nicholson, 2005)
• Department of Information Film Unit, The Battle of the Somme (1916)
• L.Macdonald, The Somme (Penguin, 1983)
• R.Graves, Goodbye to All That (Penguin, 1929)

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=11930