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Distribution of cigarettes at the front, WW1
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Distribution of cigarettes at the front, WW1
A battery commander distributing the contents of a parcel of cigarettes amongst his men at the Front at Christmas time. According to The Sphere, nothing brings so much joy to the trenches as a parcel home, and no parcel is more welcome than the one that contains a supply of smokes. Date: 1916
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Media ID 14166398
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Battery Cigarette Cigarettes Comforts Contents Distributing Distribution Gift Gifts Parcel Smokes Tobacco Trenches
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the spirit of Christmas at the Western Front during World War I, as a battery commander distributes the contents of a parcel amongst his weary men. The image, published in The Sphere in 1916, conveys the profound impact that simple comforts from home could have on soldiers far from their families and familiar surroundings. With the frost-covered ground and the somber winter landscape in the background, the soldiers huddle together, their faces illuminated by the dim light of a lantern. The commander, dressed in his military uniform, holds up a parcel wrapped in brown paper, its contents identifiable by the telltale bulge and the distinctive logo of a tobacco company. The soldiers, their faces etched with the signs of hardship and fatigue, eagerly reach out for their share of the precious cargo. The distribution of cigarettes was a cherished ritual, a small but meaningful gesture that brought a semblance of normalcy and joy to the harsh realities of life in the trenches. This poignant scene serves as a poignant reminder of the human stories that lie behind the grand narrative of history, and the enduring power of simple gestures to bring comfort and hope in times of hardship.
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