This is the story of the Blue Puttees, the first Newfoundland division sent into WWI. They were basically mown down with artillery and machine gun when they went "over the top" at the Battle of the Somme. Frontal assaults were generally ineffective and costly in the trench warfare practiced in the Great War, and 733 out of 801 Newfoundlanders did not answer the roll call the next day, making it the hardest hit regiment. This was of course devasting for Newfoundland, and most were regreting the talk of glory that recruiters put forward.
This is the story of the Blue Puttees, the first Newfoundland division sent into WWI. They were basically mown down with artillery and machine gun when they went "over the top" at the Battle of the Somme. Frontal assaults were generally ineffective and costly in the trench warfare practiced in the Great War, and 733 out of 801 Newfoundlanders did not answer the roll call the next day, making it the hardest hit regiment. This was of course devasting for Newfoundland, and most were regreting the talk of glory that recruiters put forward.