On this Day 21 February 1916: The Battle of Verdun commenced

The battle was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916, and was the largest and longest battle of the First World War on the Western Front between the German and French armies
By Picture Desk
Published 21st Feb 2019, 09:48 BST
Updated 21st Feb 2019, 13:19 BST
The Parc d'Artillerie or Artillery Park near Verdun, during World War I, circa 1916. (Photo by Henry Guttmann/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)The Parc d'Artillerie or Artillery Park near Verdun, during World War I, circa 1916. (Photo by Henry Guttmann/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
The Parc d'Artillerie or Artillery Park near Verdun, during World War I, circa 1916. (Photo by Henry Guttmann/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Lasing for 303 days, it was the longest and one of the most costly in human history. In 2000, Hannes Heer and K. Naumann calculated 377,231 French and 337,000 German casualties, a total of 714,231, an average of 70,000 a month.

Pictures: Getty Images