Steve the misjudgement of the effect of the barrage was not a leadership issue.
The technical experts provided the leaders with wrong data.
There had never been such a barrage and they were trying to extrapolate existing knowledge for an unprecedented situation.
Also, there was insufficient knowledge
Of the underground defences.
The lessons were quickly learned and tactics changed in future attacks.

When nutritionists told us that hydrogenated vegetable oil, transfats, were healthier than fats like butter, they probably killed more people than died on the Somme.
Also, in recent years a consensus has begun to emerge that the advice you and I gave to our pupils on healthy diet was all wrong.
Not really our fault though.
I hope we were not responsible for many deaths.