Photographers > Ernest Brooks
(59) C.1198 - Tommy on the ice
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| First World War 'Official Photographs' > Photographers > Ernest Brooks > (59) C.1198 - Tommy on the ice |
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| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/74546408 |
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| Description | Soldiers walking through the snow, France. This image shows a group of soldiers walking in single file through snow. It is a happy and relaxed scene, with many of the soldiers laughing and sliding through the snow. The entire countryside is white. In the foreground there is a dog closely watching the soldiers. The nickname 'Tommy' entered into general usage after the Rudyard Kipling poems, 'Tommy' and 'To Thomas Atkins' (1892), which pay homage to the sturdy character of the average British soldier. Scenes such as this were commonly used as propaganda, intended to boost morale amongst the troops and provide reassurance to those at home. [Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON THE FRONT IN FRANCE. Tommy on the ice.'] |
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| Description | Ernest Brooks was the first British official war photographer to be assigned to the Western Front in 1916. Previously a 'Daily Mirror' photographer, he was given the honorary rank of Second Lieutenant. His remit was to take as many photographs as possible, with as much variety as possible. Using his inconspicuous hand-held camera Brooks was free to wander, sometimes capturing his subjects unawares. Many of the images taken by Brooks were used to fuel the propaganda machine at home and abroad. Despite this Brooks, who was very aware of composition and light, produced some very artistic and thought-provoking images. |
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| Description | Photographs by named photographers. |
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| Description | Black-and-white photographs mainly of the Western Front during the First World War. Official British war photographers took many of them for propaganda purposes. Unless otherwise stated, titles are the photographs' original captions. From the papers of Field Marshal (Earl) Haig (1861-1928). The Haig Papers also contain Douglas Haig’s diaries. |
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| Shelfmark | Acc.3155 |
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