turned the ground to mud. Much of the RFC was grounded but 52 aircraft managed to fly at low altitude on artillery-observation sorties. From the French and British made preparations for an attack due on 7 July, from Hardecourt, Trones Wood, Mametz Wood and Contalmaison. Allied destructive and harassing bombardments continued as guns were moved forward. Engineers and tunnellers continued to rebuild roads but engineering stores ran short and the difficulty of providing water for the thousands of troops in the area led to two cavalry divisions being sent back to Abbeville. The Germans managed to conduct substantial bombardments at places and counter-attacked north of the Albert–Bapaume road. On 4 July, the 17th (Northern) Division managed a short advance towards Contalmaison and a night attack was planned for from Mametz Wood and to the left up to Shelter Alley but rainstorms slowed preparations. The attack eventually began at on 5 July, when two battalions of the 52nd Brigade crept forward to short of the German lines, obscured by the dark and the rain. The British infantry rushed the German defences at zero hour and captured Quadrangle Trench and Shelter Alley, taking prisoners from IR 163 and IR 190. On the left flank, the 23rd Division began supporting attacks and at attacked at Horseshoe Trench but took until on 5 July to take the ground, only to lose it to a counter-attack. The Germans attacked again in the afternoon and the rest of the 69th Brigade (Brigadier-General Lambert) was committed. Just after three battalions attacked in the open and captured Horseshoe Trench and the west end of Lincoln Redoubt and took about but touch with the 17th (Northern) Division in Shelter Alley to the east was not obtained. Next day, the German artillery bombardment increased and during the night the 68th Brigade (Brigadier-General H. P. Croft) relieved the 69th Brigade and a battalion occupied Triangle Trench. BEF headquarters issued a memorandum, that the British advantage in numbers and the demoralisation of the German infantry required any success to be exploited. Military intelligence reported that only battalions were in line from Hardecourt to the Albert–Bapaume road, eleven of which had been severely depleted, although had operated and another in reserve. The Fourth Army had six divisions in the front line and five more in reserve, outnumbering the Germans During the afternoon 3 Squadron reconnoitred Mametz Wood and those south of Contalmaison and