German
trenches and shelters.

During the bombardment some seventy raids were undertaken between
Gommecourt and the extreme British left north of Ypres. Some of these
raids were for the purpose of deceiving the enemy as to the real point
of assault and others to identify the opposing units. Few of the
raiders returned to the British line without bagging a score or so of
prisoners. Among these raiding parties a company of the Ninth Highland
Light Infantry especially distinguished themselves.

Fighting in the air continued every day during this preliminary
bombardment. It was essential that the Germans should be prevented
from seeing the preparations that were going forward. The eyes of a
hostile army are its aeroplanes and captive balloons. Owing to the
daring of the French and British aviators the German flyers were
literally prohibited from the lines of the Allies during all that
time. In five days fifteen German machines were brought to the ground.
Very few German balloons even attempted to take the air.

On June 24, 1916, the bombardment of German trenches had reached the
highest pitch of intensity. The storm of shells swept the entire enemy
front, destroying trenches at Ypres and Arras and equally obliterating
those at Beaumont-Hamel and Fricourt.

By July 28, 1916, all the region subjected to bombardment presented a
scene of complete and appalling devastation. Only a few stumps marked
the spot where leafy groves had stood. The pleasant little villages
that had dotted the smiling landscape were reduced to mere heaps of
rubbish. Hardly a bit of wall was left standing. It seemed impossible
that any living thing could survive in all that shell-smitten
territory.

As the day fixed upon for the attack drew near the condition of the
weather caused the British command some anxious hours. The last week
of June, 1916, was cloudy, and frequent showers of rain had
transformed the dusty roads into deep mud. But in the excitement that
preceded an assault of such magnitude the condition of the weather
could not dampen the feverish ardor of the troops. There was so much
to be done that there was no time to consider anything but the work in
hand. A nervous exhilaration prevailed among the men, who looked
eagerly and yet fearfully forward to the hour for the great offensive
from which such great things were expected.

In the afternoon of the last day of June, 1916, the sky cleared and
soon the stars shone brightly in the cl