Franz von Soden

Franz von Soden was born in Stuttgart in 1856 and pursued a long career in the army of Württemberg within the German imperial military system. By the First World War he was a senior officer and commanded the 26th Reserve Division, a Württemberg formation serving on the Western Front.

In 1916 Soden’s division held positions in the Somme sector as the British and French prepared their major summer offensive. German defences of deep dugouts, wire and fortified strongpoints were designed to survive artillery attack and meet infantry assaults from prepared positions. Soden survived the war and died in Germany in 1945.

Iain Gale’s Zero Hour uses Soden as a principal German perspective during the days before 1 July 1916. From his headquarters the scale of the British bombardment signals that an assault is coming, but uncertainty about timing and the condition of his defences keeps the German side of the battlefield under the same pressure of anticipation as the British troops opposite.