The film mixes dramatic re-enactments and archive footage augmented by readings from the diaries, letters and reports of the men involved.

The British go over-the-top at 7.30 a.m. on 1 July expecting little resistance after a 7 day artillery bombardment of enemy positions, but are met by machine-gun fire within minutes.

Sharples disappears attempting to capture the enemy machine gun nest and Fiddis is wounded taking a message to battalion requesting withdrawal.

The bloodiest day in British military history ends with 19,240 dead and 37,000 wounded, devastating communities like Salford but this was just the beginning of a battle that would last for four months.

Soden is distracted by an official visit from the Kaiser's adjutant Gen. Hans von Plessen and when communication lines are cut he is rendered helpless.

Plessen waits for six hours at Soden's HQ for news of the attack, by which time it is too late to order a counterattack and Thiepval is lost.

The victory allows the British to secure all their objectives from 1 July and the French at Verdun are able to launch a counter-attack to push back the Germans.