To mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, the Imperial War Museum is launching an online exhibition exploring the longest and most costly land battle in British history, fought from July 1 to November 18, 1916. As part of the event, a number of key items from the museum’s extensive collection will be digitised and available to the public for the first time. At the heart of the exhibition will be personal stories, illustrated by original materials, such as letters, diaries, objects, sound recordings and film. From the last letter of 22-year-old Percy Boswell, who was killed in the first hour of the battle, and the diaries of volunteer nurse Dorothy Field, to the iconic camera work of Geoffrey Malins, the official cameraman who filmed the famous feature-length The Battle of the Somme documentary, the exhibition will reflect the range and breadth of experiences of those involved and the far-reaching impact these events had on individual lives.

www.iwm.org.uksomme