Whole waves were swept by the fire. The dead lay in long rows where they had fallen, the wounded lay with them.

It was a bitter battle of attrition that cost the British army 58,000 casualties on the first day alone; a five-month slaughter that ended in muddy stalemate. Journey to the frontline with this book and 60-minute DVD and witness one of the most momentous and ill-fated offensives of the Great War.

See how the battle unfolded, with archive images and film footage, interviews, key military features and `then and now' views of the battlefield that reveal the full, tragic story. Discover the reasons behind the offensive, its impact and aftermath.

Bring the war home: accompanying geneological information allows you to trace ancestors who fought or fell during this terrible conflict.