The battalion served in the trenches for 16 months before it participated in its first major battle, during the Somme offensive. On the First day on the Somme (1 July) the battalion was in bivouacs south of Sailly-le-Sec and did not participate in the division's actions, though it marched up to Mailly-Maillet in reserve. The division later took over the line west of Serre-lès-Puisieux, and 1/4th relieved 1/6th Bn in the front line on the evening of 8/9 July the trenches still in a bad state after the fighting on 1 July. The battalion was relieved on 12 July and bivouacked at Bouzincourt.