Editing First day on the Somme (section)

====VIII Corps====

The northern flank of the Fourth Army was held by VIII Corps (Lieutenant-General [[Aylmer Hunter-Weston]]). Three divisions were to attack on the first day, with the [[48th (South Midland) Division]] in reserve, except for two battalions that held a {{cvt|1.6|mi}} stretch between the Third and Fourth armies and two battalions that were attached to the 4th Division.{{sfn|Edmonds|1993|p=426}}

=====Beaumont-Hamel=====

{{main|Capture of Beaumont-Hamel#Beaumont-Hamel|l1=Beaumont Hamel|Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt}}

[[File:Ancre sector 1 July 1916.png|thumb|{{centre|The Ancre and Beaumont Hamel, 1 July 1916}}]]
The 29th Division attacked towards Beaumont-Hamel. Part of the attack was filmed and showed the detonation of a {{cvt|40000|lb|LT}} mine beneath Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt at {{nowrap|7:20 a.m.,}} ten minutes before the infantry attack.{{sfn|Malins|1920|pp=162–163}} The detonation of the mine alerted the Germans and British troops failed to occupy all of the mine crater before German troops could take over the far lip. Many troops of both brigades were shot down in no man's land, which was dominated by Redan Ridge and then caught by German artillery barrages. White German signal rockets were seen and taken for British success flares, which led the divisional commander, Major-General [[Beauvoir De Lisle]], to order the 88th Brigade from reserve to exploit the success. The brigade included the Newfoundland Regiment, which advanced on open ground from reserve trenches {{cvt|200|yd}} back from the British front line.{{sfn|Edmonds|1993|pp=424–437}}

The Newfoundland advance avoided the congestion of dead and wounded in communication trenches but many of the troops became casualties to German small-arms fire while still behind their front line. Some Newfoundland troops got across no man's land near Y Ravine but were held up by uncut wire.{{sfn|Edmonds|1993|pp=424–437}} Most of the German shelters and Beaumont-Hamel were derelict and shell-craters overlapped. Reserve Infantry Regiment 119, who had been sheltering under the village in {{lang|de|Stollen}} survived and with other units at {{lang|de|Leiling Schlucht}} (Y Ravine) and the {{lang|de|Leiling}} and {{lang|de|Bismarck}} dugouts, engaged the British troops from the wreckage of their trenches. The Newfoundlanders suffered {{nowrap|710 casualties,}} a {{nowrap|91 per cent}} loss, second only to that of the 10th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, which suffered {{nowrap|733 casualties}} at Fricourt, south of the Albert–Bapaume road.{{sfnm|1a1=Edmonds|1y=1993|1p=436|2a1=Hilliard Atteridge|2y=2003|2p=110}} The 29th Division suffered {{nowrap|5,240 casualties.}}{{sfn|Sheffield|2003|pp=49–50}}

=====Serre=====

{{see also|Battle of Hébuterne}}

[[File:Hawthorn Ridge mine 1 July 1916.jpg|thumb|{{centre|Explosion of the mine beneath [[Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt]], 7:20 a.m. Photo by [[Ernest Brooks (photographer)|Ernest Brooks]]}}]]
The [[4th Division (United Kingdom)|4th Division]] attacked between Serre and Beaumont-Hamel, capturing the Quadrilateral ({{lang|de|Heidenkopf}}) but could not exploit the success, because the Germans repulsed the attacks by the flanking divisions. Crossfire from Beaumont Hamel and Serre and determined counter-attacks held up the 4th Division. Parties of Lancashire Fusiliers, Seaforth Highlanders and troops from the 11th Brigade entered the Quadrilateral, where they were reinforced by a company of the Royal Irish Fusiliers during the night. Except at the Quadrilateral, the 4th Division ended the day back at its start line.{{sfn|Edmonds|1993|p=448}} No other gains were made and German counter-attacks overnight pushed the parties in the Quadrilateral back until only the Irish Fusiliers remained in the German front line, not having received an order to retreat early on 2 July. The Irish eventually withdrew at {{nowrap|11:30 a.m.}} with their wounded and three prisoners; the 4th Division suffered {{nowrap|5,752 casualties.}}{{sfn|Edmonds|1993|pp=424–429, 437–441, 448–449}} In 2006, Grahame Kingston recorded {{nowrap|5,890 casualties}} in the division during July.{{sfn|Kingston|2006|p=248}}

The 31st Division, a New Army division made up of Pals battalions, was to capture Serre and then turn north to form the northern defensive flank of the Fourth Army. The 31st Division attacked uphill from several copses and the two attacking brigades were engaged by the Germans with small-arms fire, expending {{nowrap|74,000 bullets}} against the attack. Small groups of the [[Accrington Pals]] and the [[Sheffield City Battalion]] managed to cross no man's land and reach Serre and a party advanced {{cvt|1.25|mi}} to Pendant Copse, before being cut off and killed or captured. Reserve Infantry Regiment 121 was confronted by the British attack before all the troops had emerged from their dugouts. More than three infantry sections were blown up in the mine explosion at Hawthorn Redoubt, the rest of the garrison being trapped until the end of the attack. A counter-attack towards the redoubt by two platoons gradually bombed the British back; after an hour only the troops in the {{lang|de|Heidenkopf}} remained and it was re-captured during the night. Reserve Infantry Regiment 119 suffered {{nowrap|292 casualties,}} Reserve Infantry Regiment 121 {{nowrap|560,}} Infantry Regiment 169 {{nowrap|362;}} the 31st Division suffered {{nowrap|3,600 casualties.}}{{sfn|Edmonds|1993|pp=424–429, 441–444, 448}}