Photographers > Ernest Brooks
(356) C.900 - Comfort in a dug-out
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| First World War 'Official Photographs' > Photographers > Ernest Brooks > (356) C.900 - Comfort in a dug-out |
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| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/74546796 |
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| Description | An interior shot of a wood-lined room. According to the photograph's original caption it is the inside of a dugout. It has been carefully constructed with a beam running along the ceiling, and a supporting wooden post reaching from floor to ceiling. There is a clean and neatly-made bed in the room, with a mirror, a small table and candle placed next to it. There is also a jug and basin for washing. A number of garments are hanging from nails or pegs hammered into the wooden walls. Dugouts were underground protective shelters either built within the trench wall or close to the trench. They varied considerably in size, holding anything from one man to a whole battalion, and some, such as the one shown here, were of a fairly high standard. They provided a place to rest, eat and sleep and could also double as a temporary headquarters. [Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON THE FRONT IN FRANCE - Comfort in a dug-out.'] |
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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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