Sapper Collection

A Miner Success by Bruce Bairnsfather, WW1 cartoon
" They must ave ad some good news or somethin, Alf; you can ear em cheerin quite plain." Two British Tommies, Bill and Alf

Bulldog Drummond / Sapper
Bound he may be, but in a moment the square-jawed hero will rescue the girl from the evil clutches of the villain

Mine and Countermine by Heath Robinson
A tunnelling stand off between a British and German soldier with the German soldier eventually burrowing so deeply he falls out of the other side of the world. Date: 1915

Brtitish Army soldiers of the Royal Engineers undertake a bomb disposal at St James Park, London Picture shows: Sappers excavating the land for the 1000 lb bomb believed to be embedded between 20 to

French Religious Wars 1562-1598. Siege of Chartres
535863 French Religious Wars 1562-1598. Siege of Chartres.; (add.info.: French Religious Wars 1562-1598. Siege of Chartres)

Aerostiers et Observateurs en Ballon; Tandis que le ballon, abandonne a son sort, acheve... 1917. Creator: Unknown
Aerostiers et Observateurs en Ballon; Tandis que le ballon, abandonne a son sort, acheve de bruler a terre, deux sapeurs s'efforcent de sauver la soupape qui est la plus precieuse de

Sapper of the Swiss Guards, 1779. Creator: Johann Georg Wille
Sapper of the Swiss Guards, 1779

Du tardenois a la Picardie; en Picardie: le passage de l'Avre, entre Morisel et Moreuil, le 8 aout Creator: Unknown
Du tardenois a la Picardie; en Picardie: le passage de l'Avre, entre Morisel et Moreuil, le 8 aout 1918, au matin; construction d'une passerelie par le genie et les chasseurs, 1918

Sur le Marne; le fusil allemand contre char d'assaut, examine par un de nos sapeurs, 1918. Creator: Unknown
Sur le Marne; le fusil allemand contre char d'assaut, examine par un de nos sapeurs, 1918. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919, Volume 2" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1924]

Le telephone a l'arriere du front; apres un bombardement, les sapeurs telephonistes... 1918. Creator: Unknown
Le telephone a l'arriere du front; apres un bombardement, les sapeurs telephonistes, munis de leur masque, posent une ligne dans un fond ou persist l, action des gaz, 1918

Les specialistes dans la bataille: Pionniers et Sapeurs; La vie souterraine: construction... 1916
Les specialistes dans la bataille: Pionniers et Sapeurs; La vie souterraine: construction d'une galerie, 1916. From "Collection de la Guerre IV. L'Illustration Tome CXLVIII

Les specialistes dans la bataille: Pionniers et Sapeurs; La Sape. Bas-relief par le... 1916. Creator: L'Homme
Les specialistes dans la bataille: Pionniers et Sapeurs; La Sape. Bas-relief par le sculpteur L'Homme, mobilise comme sapeur, 1916. From "Collection de la Guerre IV

Destruction of the Docks, Sebastopol - from a sketch by J. A. Crowe, 1856. Creator: J. A. Crowe
Destruction of the Docks, Sebastopol - from a sketch by J. A. Crowe, 1856. Crimean War. It was the intention of our engineers to blow in a portion of the English half of the docks...the charges in

Inspection of the Royal Sappers and Miners at Brompton Barracks, Chatham, by Sir John Burgoyne, 1856 Creator: Unknown
Inspection of the Royal Sappers and Miners at Brompton Barracks, Chatham, by Sir John Burgoyne, 1856. More than ordinary interest attached to the occasion

'Un sapeur-mineur a son obscur et perilleux travail dans une galerie, 1915. Creator: Unknown
'Un sapeur-mineur a son obscur et perilleux travail dans une galerie, 1915. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

Electric Telegraph for the Seat of War - Plough for Laying the Wire, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Electric Telegraph for the Seat of War - Plough for Laying the Wire, 1854. Crimean War. The appliances for laying out the wire over irregular ground, and through marshes and rivers

Sappers repairing the road between Schumla and Varna, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Sappers repairing the road between Schumla and Varna, 1854. British soldiers during the Crimean War. The fortified town of Schumla, now Shumen in Bulgaria, was strategically important

Sappers, from Souvenirs d'Italie: Expédition de Rome, 1853. Creator: Auguste Raffet
Sappers, from Souvenirs d'Italie: Expedition de Rome, 1853

Sappers going to the trenches, from Souvenirs d'Italie: Expédition de Rome, 1854. Creator: Auguste Raffet
Sappers going to the trenches, from Souvenirs d'Italie: Expedition de Rome, 1854

Sapping in full swing, from Souvenirs d'Italie: Expédition de Rome, 1858. Creator: Auguste Raffet
Sapping in full swing, from Souvenirs d'Italie: Expedition de Rome, 1858

Travelling sappers, from Souvenirs d'Italie: Expédition de Rome, 1853. Creator: Auguste Raffet
Travelling sappers, from Souvenirs d'Italie: Expedition de Rome, 1853

Squad of sappers and miners coming ashore in a sampan at Chemulpo, c1904. Creator: Robert Lee Dunn
Squad of sappers and miners coming ashore in a sampan at Chemulpo, c1904

Len Murray, Alan Sapper, Mick McGahey and Ray Buckton
Len Murray (Lionel Murray, Baron Murray of Epping Forest, 1922-2004), British Labour politician and trade union leader (left), with Mick McGahey (1925-1999, trades union executive)

The underground war, the explosion of our mines southwest of San Martino del Carso (colour litho)
2777547 The underground war, the explosion of our mines southwest of San Martino del Carso (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The underground war)

A tongue of blue flame shooting out from the enemys side of a mine gallery and severely burning Private T Bytheway
976444 A tongue of blue flame shooting out from the enemys side of a mine gallery and severely burning Private T Bytheway, 20 October 1915 (colour litho) by Stewart

Grotesque military caricatures (coloured engraving)
5998743 Grotesque military caricatures (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Grotesque military caricatures)

Dragon et sapeur de dragon (colour litho)
2790791 Dragon et sapeur de dragon (colour litho) by Bombled, Louis Charles (1862-1927) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dragon et sapeur de dragon)

Le Sapeur (colour litho)
3094284 Le Sapeur (colour litho) by Job, pseudonym for Onfray de Breville, Jacques (1858-1931); Private Collection; (add.info.: Le Sapeur)

Sketches from Manilla and Hong-Kong (engraving)
1609148 Sketches from Manilla and Hong-Kong (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sketches from Manilla and Hong-Kong)

Armies of the Continent, the Honved, or Hungarian Landwehr, of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (engraving)
1595285 Armies of the Continent, the Honved, or Hungarian Landwehr, of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (engraving) by Schonberg

Lying in wait, illustration from The History of the Nation (litho)
STC306665 Lying in wait, illustration from The History of the Nation (litho) by Mecham, Clifford Henry (fl.1858); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

Laying Telephone Wire, c. 1919
LIS76556 Laying Telephone Wire, c.1919 by Gill, Colin Unwin (1892-1940); 61x41 cm; Private Collection; eLiss Fine Art; English, out of copyright

Sapper
LLM460230 Sapper by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sapper. Illustration for Willss Cigarette card.); © Look and Learn

Tense Moment in Trench Mining Operations, 1914-19 (litho)
STC359745 Tense Moment in Trench Mining Operations, 1914-19 (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Sappers of the 237 Field Company, Royal Engineers, clearing a minefield in the aftermath
NAM429772 Sappers of the 237 Field Company, Royal Engineers, clearing a minefield in the aftermath of the First Armys attack on Toukabeur and Chaouach, April 1943 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Soroo Pass, encampment of Sappers, by Royal Engineers Photographic Unit under Sergeant
MGS373686 Soroo Pass, encampment of Sappers, by Royal Engineers Photographic Unit under Sergeant John Harold, 1868 (albumen print) by English Photographer

The underground fight, ours finish a tunnel to make a counter shine (colour litho)
2808568 The underground fight, ours finish a tunnel to make a counter shine (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The underground fight)

Sapper of the Imperial Guard, French Troops, no. 19, 1815 (coloured engraving)
1249014 Sapper of the Imperial Guard, French Troops, no.19, 1815 (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); BibliothAque Paul-Marmottan, Ville de Boulogne-Billancourt

The Madras Army, and Troops under the Government of India (colour litho)
1038925 The Madras Army, and Troops under the Government of India (colour litho) by Lovett, Alfred Crowdy (1862-1919); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Madras Army)

The Soudan Advance, to the Front by Rail, the Natives and the Engine (litho)
1063692 The Soudan Advance, to the Front by Rail, the Natives and the Engine (litho) by Paget, Henry Marriott (1856-1936) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Soudan Advance)

Costumes of the Swiss Federal Army (engraving)
2772574 Costumes of the Swiss Federal Army (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Costumes of the Swiss Federal Army)

British sappers of the Royal Engineers mine Messines Ridge at Ypres
700922 British sappers of the Royal Engineers mine Messines Ridge at Ypres, June 1917 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

The Queens Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Review Order
PNP314304 The Queens Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Review Order, Anglo-Indian Army of the 1880s (colour litho) by Simkin

Colour-Sergeants J. Stanton, Kester Knight and W. Bruce, Royal Sappers and Miners
NAM280822 Colour-Sergeants J. Stanton, Kester Knight and W. Bruce, Royal Sappers and Miners, 1856 (sepia photo) by Cundall, Joseph (1818-95) & Howlett, Robert (1831-58); National Army Museum

French Troops for the War (engraving)
1618864 French Troops for the War (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: French Troops for the War)

Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men of the Indian Contingent, on a Visit to England (engraving)
1622133 Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men of the Indian Contingent, on a Visit to England (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Officers)

On the Karst, behind the advancing troops, the raids of prisoners in caves and dungeons (colour litho)
2808591 On the Karst, behind the advancing troops, the raids of prisoners in caves and dungeons (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: On the Karst)

Sketches of the Spanish Expedition to Morocco (engraving)
2772814 Sketches of the Spanish Expedition to Morocco (engraving) by Janet, Gustave (b. 1829); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sketches of the Spanish Expedition to Morocco)

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"Sapper: The Unsung Heroes of Warfare" The term "sapper" may evoke different images for different people, but throughout history, these brave individuals have played a crucial role in military operations. From the humorous cartoons of Bruce Bairnsfather during World War I to the thrilling adventures of Bulldog Drummond by Sapper himself, this caption explores the multifaceted world of sappers. In times of war, sappers were often tasked with dangerous missions involving explosives and underground warfare. Heath Robinson's illustration "Mine and Countermine" vividly captures their perilous work beneath the surface. Even during peacetime, as depicted in an inter-war British military poster, sappers remained vigilant in bomb disposal exercises at St James Park. Amongst their ranks were Len Murray, Alan Sapper, Mick McGahey, and Ray Buckton - names that symbolize courage and resilience. Their dedication to protecting others is exemplified by British Army soldiers from the Royal Engineers undertaking bomb disposal operations at St James Park. The intensity of their duties is further emphasized through historical lithographs depicting events such as "The Underground War, " where mines exploded near San Martino del Carso during World War I. These illustrations capture both the destructive power unleashed and its devastating consequences on soldiers like Private T Bytheway who suffered severe burns. Yet amidst all this seriousness lies a touch of humor found in grotesque military caricatures or colorful lithographs like "Dragon et sapeur de dragon" and "Le Sapeur. " These whimsical artworks remind us that even in times of conflict, human creativity finds ways to bring lightness to dark situations. Whether it be mining success or bomb disposal expertise showcased by sappers throughout history or fictional characters like Bulldog Drummond created by Sapper himself - one thing remains clear: these unsung heroes deserve our admiration for their unwavering bravery and selflessness on the battlefield.