RAMM screens Somme documentary

This year, Imperial War Museums (IWM) and Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) are working together to show the UNESCO listed film

The Battle of the Somme, to audiences across the world. Shot and screened in 1916, it was the first feature-length documentary about war and changed the way both cinema and film was perceived by the public. In the year of its release around 20 million people, almost half the population of Britain at the time, watched The Battle of the Somme many hoping to see the image of a loved-one, or friend captured on film. One hundred years later, this unique film from IWM’s collection, is being shown to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

The Battle of the Somme will be screened at RAMM for a fortnight starting on Friday 1 July, the 100th Anniversary of the start of the offensive. Visitors can drop into continual, free screenings from Friday 1 to Friday 15 July during opening hours: 10am to 5pm, closed Mondays. Places for four separate free screenings for schools can be booked online or from reception in person or by phone on 01392 265858. Suitable for senior schools, Year 9 and above, the school screenings are on Tuesday 5 July at 10:30am, noon, 1.30 and 3pm.

The film was commissioned by the War Office to record the first major offensive in which the British army took the major part on the Western Front during the First World War. Assuming the offensive was going to be a great success, it became the first ever feature-length visual glossary of war. Unique for its time, it has been described as candid and realistic yet also propaganda and documentary - an actual account of the meaning and difficulty of fighting in war.

The Battle of the Somme is now most remembered for its heavy casualties. On the opening day, the British army suffered its heaviest ever losses in any 24 hour period, 57,470 casualties of which 19,240 men were killed. The French Sixth Army had 1,590 casualties and the German 2nd Army had 10,000 to12,000 losses. When the offensive ended in November British and French forces had advanced only six miles; the British Army had suffered an estimated 420,000 casualties, the French 200,000 and the Germans nearly 500,000.

The film is accompanied by Laura Rossi’s new score which was commissioned to mark the 90th anniversary of The Battle of the Somme. The re-mastered film was screened for the 90th anniversary of the Battle to a full house at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with the premiere of Laura’s orchestral score, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and received a 5 star review in The Times.

The screening is part of the city-wide programme of events to compliment 19240 Shrouds of the Somme project. To find out more about the project and associated events please visit The Somme19240 website http://thesomme19240.co.uk/
For more information about the First World War Centenary Partnership’s plans to commemorate the Battle of the Somme visit www.1914.org