ttack which resulted in the
capture of a line of German trenches between the Hem Wood and the
river. The French took 120 prisoners and a number of machine guns.

On August 8, 1916, the British positions north and east of Pozieres
were heavily bombarded by German artillery. In the evening of the same
date British troops pushing forward engaged the enemy near the station
of Guillemont. A bomb attack made by the Germans on the eastern
portion of the Leipzig salient south of Thiepval was driven back with
some casualties. Two British raiding parties about the same time
succeeded in entering the German lines north of Roclincourt and blew
up some dugouts. On this date a squadron of ten German aeroplanes
endeavored to cross the British lines on a bombing expedition, but
were driven off by four British offensive patrols. Two of the German
aeroplanes were forced to descend behind their own lines, while the
others were scattered and did not return to attack. In the evening of
the same day the Germans made four attacks on the British lines to the
northwest of Pozieres, and in one were successful in occupying a
portion of a British trench.

During this day the French north of the Somme, while the British were
fighting at Guillemont, advanced east of Hill 139, north of
Hardecourt, and took forty prisoners. The Germans, making two attempts
to recapture the trenches won from them by the French on the previous
day, were beaten back, leaving a great number of dead on the field. In
the evening French troops captured a small wood and a heavily
fortified trench to the north of the Hem Wood, making their gains for
the two days, an entire line of German trenches on a front of three
and three-quarter miles and a depth of from 330 to 350 yards.

In the battered and shell-pitted region to the northwest of Pozieres
fighting between the British and German troops continued unceasingly.
The slight gains made by the British troops were won only by the
greatest risk and daring, for the whole plateau between Thiepval and
Pozieres (about 3,000 yards) lay open to the German fire from the
former place. A great part of it could be reached by machine guns,
while German batteries at Courcelette and Grandcourt commanded the
ground at close range. A network of German trenches, well planned,
stretched in almost every direction. Flares and shell fire made the
region as bright as day during the night, and it was only by rushing a
trench from saps made within a