Thousands of soldiers who died in the Battle of the Somme will be remembered today as the country pays tribute to those who were killed in the historic battle which began 100 years ago on July 1, 1916. | ITV News

This is the story of the first day of the Somme Offensive, 1 July 1916 - the single bloodiest day in British military history. 57,000 British soldiers became casualties, most within a few hours of the initial attack. The offensive was part of a doomed attempt to break the deadlock of trench warfare. But behind the myths lies the story of an elaborately-planned battle, fought against a determined and experienced German enemy, and a struggle that was seen at the time as both unavoidable and necess