ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME

That this House remembers that 1st July was the 80th anniversary of the Battle of The Somme in which there were 60,000 British casualties, of whom 20,000 were killed on the first day of the battle, which became a metaphor for futile and indiscriminate slaughter; notes that it is claimed that there were 650,000 German, 420,000 British and 195,000 French casualties in what became a battle of attrition, which will always be remembered; and hopes that it will never be repeated.