On this day, July 1st 1916 the Royal Newfoundland Regiment marched to its destruction. As part of the wider Somme offensive, 801 Newfoundlanders went over the top at Beaumont-Hamel into murderous German fire. By roll call the next day only 68 were still there. French & commonwealth casualties on the first day of the Somme numbered some ~60k, marking one of the bloodiest days in military history. With a population of only 240000 at the time, the tragedy at Beaumont-Hamel affected nearly every community & family in Newfoundland & Labrador. Newfoundland had the highest per capita losses of any commonwealth country in the war. After joining Canadian confederation in 1949, Newfoundland & Labrador maintained July 1st as its memorial day in honour of the sacrifice at Beaumont-Hamel, coinciding with Canada day. https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/military-history/first-world-war/battle-beaumont-hamel https://canadaehx.com/2020/06/24/the-battle-of-beumont-hamel-albert/