麻豆社

The first day of the Battle of the Somme still stands as the bloodiest in British Army history.

Among the tens of thousands of men who fought and died were soldiers from the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

Andy Teal from Bracknell's great uncle, Albert (pictured above), was one of them.

Andy tells the story of those men - as it happened, in the words of those who survived.

Andy Teal:

"It's the 1st July 1916, about 250 miles from home, the men of the 6th Battalian, Royal Berkshire Regiment had had little or no sleep, and one of them was by great uncle...he'd been a painter and decorator prior to volunteering.

"They had breakfast, corned beef sandwiches, and hot tea.

"The guns all along the line burst forth, into the fury of a hurricane."

Music: 'The Battle of the Somme', by Laura Rossi.