Historical Events
- The river is perhaps most famous as a result of the World War I Battle of the Somme (July to November 1916).
- The Invasion Fleet of William the Conqueror assembled in the Bay of the Somme at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, in 1066.
- The river featured in the 1346 withdrawal of Edward III's army, which forded the river at the battle of Blanchetaque during the campaign which culminated in the Battle of Crécy.
- Crossing the river also featured prominently in the campaign which led to the Battle of Agincourt some 501 years before the 1916 battles.
- The great battles which finally stopped the German advance in the Spring Offensive of 1918 were fought around the valley of the Somme in places like Villers Bretonneux, which marked the beginning of the end of the war.
Read more about this topic: River Somme
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