<P> In March, the two British cavalry corps were disbanded and the divisions distributed to the armies and the new Reserve Corps (General Hubert Gough). In June, the Reserve Corps was reinforced and became the Reserve Army . The Reserve Army cavalry was to operate combined with infantry and artillery, ready to act as a "conveyor belt", to exploit a success by the Fourth Army, with the 25th Division in the lead followed by two cavalry divisions and then II Corps . In mid-June, II Corps was transferred to the Fourth Army; the French Sixth Army contained four cavalry divisions . In late June, favourable intelligence reports and the reduction of the French commitment for the Somme offensive, led to a change of plan by the British . Should the German army collapse, the cavalry was expected to follow up, capture Bapaume and take post on the right flank, to provide a flank guard of all - arms detachments facing east, as the main body of cavalry and the infantry advanced northwards . The 1st, 2nd (Indian) and 3rd Cavalry divisions were to assemble by zero hour 5 mi (8.0 km) west of Albert around Buire, Bresle, Bonny and La Neuville, ready to move forward or remain and then return to billets behind Amiens depending on events . </P> <P> A BEF manual published on 8 May 1916 (SS 109, Training of Divisions For Offensive Action), described successions of lines to add driving power to the attack, to reach the objective with the capacity to consolidate the captured ground against counter-attack . In the Fourth Army Tactical Notes of May 1916, battalions were allowed to attack on a front of 2--4 platoons in 8--4 waves about 100 yd (91 m) apart . Supporting lines were to pass through the leading ones, to avoid excessive demands on the energy and ability of individual soldiers . Weight of numbers was rejected as a tactic; each platoon was to carry half the burden of a brigade attack for a few minutes, before being relieved by a fresh wave . Platoons were divided into functions, fighting, mopping - up, support and carrying; the fighting platoons were to press on as the moppers - up secured the ground behind them . Support and carrying platoons could pick their way through artillery barrages with the tools and weapons needed to consolidate and defeat German counter-attacks . Some troops in carrying platoons had about 66 lb (30 kg) of equipment and tools, whereas troops in the advanced platoons carried a rifle, bayonet, 170 rounds of ammunition, iron ration (an emergency ration of preserved food, tea, sugar and salt), two grenades, pick, shovel or entrenching tool, four empty sandbags, two gas helmets, wire cutters, a smoke candle and a water - bottle . In the French army, the experience of 1915 showed that despite the power of French bombardments, infantry would enter a chaotic environment, full of German pockets of resistance and individuals who had been by - passed . By mid-1916 much of the French infantry in the Sixth Army had been trained as specialists, as rifle - and - bayonet men, bombers, rifle grenadiers or light machine - gun crews . Attacking waves were spread wider and companies trained to manoeuvre in small groups, to get behind surviving German defences, as Nettoyeurs de Tranchées (trench cleaners) armed with hand - grenades and revolvers, searched captured ground for stray Germans and hidden machine - gunners, although such methods did not come into general use until later in the year . </P> <Table> BEF railway tonnage, 1916 <Tr> <Th> Month </Th> <Th> LT </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jan </Td> <Td> 2,484 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Feb </Td> <Td> 2,535 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mar </Td> <Td> 2,877 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Apr </Td> <Td> 3,121 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> May </Td> <Td> 3,391 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jun </Td> <Td> 4,265 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jul </Td> <Td> 4,478 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Aug </Td> <Td> 4,804 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Sept </Td> <Td> 4,913 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Oct </Td> <Td> 5,324 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nov </Td> <Td> 5,107 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dec </Td> <Td> 5,202 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Month </Th> <Th> LT </Th> </Tr>

Who won the first day of the battle somme