Trenches Collection (#45)

Directing the Way at the Front by B Bairnsfather
A cartoon by Bruce Bairnsfather, commenting on the somehat unusual landmarks used to mark routes around the First World Wars front lines. Date: 1915

That Sword by B Bairnsfather
A cartoon by Bruce Bairnsfather in which the imagined and actual usages of a sword in the First World War are juxtaposed. Date: 1915

S. O. S. by Bairnsfather
S.O.S. The Hard Lines of Communication A cartoon by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather, in which two soldiers under heavy bombardment talk over the trench communication line

Occupying German position in the Somme area 1917
During the spring of 1917 the German forces on the Western Front vountarily retired from the positions in the Somme at Serre, which they had defended with such stubborness in 1916

The enemy trying their tommy - scalders by W H Robinson
Humorous illustration showing more treacherous German ideas for making life difficult for British troops. Soldiers in the trenches are being scalded by Germans sending boiling hot water in kettles by

A communication trench in bloom, WW1
A communication trench within 1000 yards of the firing line, covered with flowers. Date: 1916

Water-bottle rotary by W H Robinson
Water-bottle rotary for warming the legs of scottish soldiers after a night in the trenches. Please note: Credit must appear as Courtesy of the Estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger Ltd/ILN/Mary Evans

Mouth Organs for the Trenches, WW1
A consignment of 1000 mouth-organs, presented to the Army Council by Sir Francis Trippel for distribution among troops at the front. Date: 1915

British soldier cooks dinner on a brazier in trench
Somewhere in France, a British soldier cooks his dinner on a brazier in the trenches while his comrades keep a look out. Date: 1915

Notice to Irish Munsters from Germans, 1916
A placard placed by the Germans above their trenches facing the Munsters after the Irish uprising of April 1916, claiming, English guns are firing at your wife and children

Christmas Dinner in the trenches by Charles Crombie
" God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen, may nothing you dismay" - a festive view of a British trench on the Western Front with soldiers, rather implausibly

Teasing the Turk, WW1
An Irishman in a trench during the Dardanelles teases the Turkish enemy with a pith helment on his rifle, peeping over the parapet. Date: 1915

A Australian trench at the Dardanelles
The periscope in use in an Australian trench at the Dardanelles. Date: 1915

The Bystander being read in a British trench
A sentry keeps watch in a British trench while his comrade spends his turn off duty reading a copy of the Bystander, the latest issue of this journal

Story of the Knitted Scarf - World War One
Humorous cartoon showing how an enterprising soldier, having received an enormous scarf knitted by a kindly mother or aunt back at home, converts it into a comfortable hammock across his trench

French mine crater WWI
View of French soldiers working at the mine face in the tunnel in darkness, and a diagram showing two branches stretching to the right and left where tons of explosive are to be placed. Date: 1916

Hot dinner for men in the trenches, WW1
A ration party of the Kings Liverpool Regiment preparing to take to the trenches a hot dinner cooked in a travelling kitchen. Date: 1915

Proverb from the Push in Silhouette by H. L. Oakley
A page of silhouettes by Captain Harry Lawrence Oakley depicting British soldiers in a variety of situations on the Western Front in 1916. Date: 1916

British communication trench, Western Front, WW1
A built-up communication trench made of sandbags, on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British troops in reserve trench, Western Front, WW1
British troops in a reserve trench on the Western Front in the snow during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Welsh Guards in trench near Guillemont, Western Front, WW1
Men of the Welsh Guards in a reserve trench near Guillemont, on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British soldiers in trench, Western Front, WW1
British soldiers in a trench with kitchen equipment, on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British trench with Lewis gun, Western Front, WW1
A British trench with a Lewis gun ready for action on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Abandoned German trench, Western Front, WW1
An abandoned German trench on the Western Front in France during World War One, showing damage to corrugated iron from British firepower. Date: circa 1916

British soldiers setting up camp, Western Front, WW1
British soldiers setting up camp on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British troops watching shelling, Western Front, WW1
British troops watching shelling on German trenches on the Western Front in France (Somme advance) during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British troops waiting to advance, Western Front, WW1
British troops in a shallow trench, waiting to advance on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British lookout soldier in trench, Western Front, WW1
A British soldier on lookout duties in a trench on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British bombarding German trenches, Western Front, WW1
British troops bombarding German trenches on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British officers dining in trench, Western Front, WW1
British officers dining in a reserve trench on the Western Front before moving up the line during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Gordon Highlanders playing cards, WW1
Gordon Highlanders playing cards in a reserve trench before moving up the line on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Old German trench near Pozieres, Western Front, WW1
An old German trench near Pozieres on the Western Front in France (Somme) during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Battlefield near La Boisselle, Western Front, WW1
A battlefield and trench near the village of La Boisselle on the Western Front in France (Somme) during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British troops digging trench, Ovillers, Western Front, WW1
Men of a Worcestershire regiment digging a communication trench near Ovillers, on the Western Front in France (Somme) during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British trench near Ovillers, Western Front, WW1
A British fire trench near Ovillers, on the Western Front in France (Somme) during World War One. In the trench are men of a Worcestershire regiment. Date: circa 1916

British war correspondents in trench, Western Front, WW1
British war correspondents in a trench, watching an aerial combat, on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

King George V touring battlefield, Western Front, WW1
King George V touring a battlefield on the Western Front during World War One Date: circa 1916

British shell bursting on German trenches, WW1
A British shell bursting on German trenches on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British soldier in trench with signal rockets, WW1
A British soldier in a trench on the Western Front in France during World War One, with rockets used for signalling. Date: circa 1916

Gordon Highlanders in trench, Western Front, WW1
Gordon Highlanders cutting up rations in a reserve trench before moving up to the front line on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Ben Tillett looking at a German trench, Western Front, WW1
Ben Tillett, socialist politician and trade union leader, looking at an abandoned German trench in wintry weather on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Soldiers taking nap in a trench, Western Front, WW1
Two British soldiers taking a nap in a trench on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British troops digging trenches, Western Front, WW1
British troops digging trenches in a hop field on the Western Front in France during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British soldiers heading for the trenches, WW1
British soldiers heading for the trenches on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

Mr Balfour on visit to Western Front, WW1
Arthur James Balfour on a visit to the Western Front during World War One. He served as British Foreign Secretary from 1916 to 1919. Date: circa 1916

British soldiers digging a trench, WW1
British soldiers digging a trench on the Western Front during World War One. Date: circa 1916

British Reserves on the Western Front, WW1
Supporting British troops move up to join the attack, near Ginchy during the Battle of Morval, 25th - 28th September 1916, part of the Battle of the Somme

Struggle for the Dunes by G. Bron and G. H. Davis
The struggle for the Dunes: how the navy helped in the fighting on the Belgian coast. Left: the newly-acquired monitors, Severn, Humber and Mersey, firing on the German trenches

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"Trenches: A Glimpse into the Harsh Realities of War" Step back in time to witness the haunting scenes etched in history. The trenches, a symbol of sacrifice and suffering, hold stories that echo through generations. From the Attack of the Ulster Division on 1 July 1916, captured by James Prinsep Beadle's lens, to the Battle of the Somme in 1918, these images transport us to an era where bravery clashed with devastation. Amidst the chaos and bloodshed, there were moments that defied all odds. The Christmas Truce of 1914 stands as a testament to humanity's resilience even amidst war's darkest hours. Soldiers from opposing sides laid down their weapons for a brief respite from battle - a poignant reminder that compassion can transcend boundaries. The photographs vividly capture soldiers entrenched in their positions during World War I. British First Airborne dug deep at Arnhem during World War II while Rifle Brigade held steadfast on Western Front during WWI. Australian troops found solace within their trench near Armentieres, France - each face reflecting determination mixed with weariness. Above these muddy fortifications soared aerial combatants engaged in fierce battles over enemy lines; planes dueling against gravity and fate itself. Meanwhile, British Mark IV tanks equipped with Tadpole Tails trudged through treacherous terrain - symbols of technological advancement amid destruction. In one breathtaking moment frozen forever by lenses capturing history's essence – Coldstreamers charging valiantly on the Somme battlefield – we glimpse courage personified. Yet not all they were defensive havens; some became launching pads for daring attacks like those carried out by German forces during WWI. These snapshots serve as reminders that even within seemingly impenetrable barriers lie both defenders and aggressors alike. As we reflect upon these glimpses into our past, let us honor those who endured the horrors of trench warfare.