German observation post in Mametz Wood, 10 August 1916

Photograph, World War One, Western Front (1914-1918), 1916.

Mametz Wood on the Somme was attacked by the 38th (Welsh) Division on 7 July 1916. The shell-blasted wood was heavily fortified with machine guns, trenches and mortars. During five days of bitter fighting the division suffered nearly 4,000 men killed or wounded. Although most of the wood was cleared of the enemy by 12 July, fierce German counter-attacks continued in the days that followed.

From a collection of 98 official war photographs.