A massive artillery barrage, which had begun on the 28th June 1916, should have destroyed the German defences and allowed the British troops to make a swift advance through the enemy lines.
This image from the 1916 sector shows the artillery barrage on what was the objective of 109 Brigade of the 36th(Ulster) Division.
It highlights the landscape that the Ulster Tower was later built on.
Image IWM (Q11)