Photographers > Ernest Brooks
(340) C.456 - Two German shells bursting in our lines
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| First World War 'Official Photographs' > Photographers > Ernest Brooks > (340) C.456 - Two German shells bursting in our lines |
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| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/74546744 |
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| Description | Two shells exploding in the distance. According to the existing caption they have been fired by the Germans and are exploding on Allied lines. They appear as two large puffs of smoke in the sky. It is impossible from this distance to see the damage they have caused. In the foreground there is a trench, with sandbags visible on one side, and a wooden cross, probably marking a grave. The ground stretching into the distance is muddy and churned up. Soldiers under constant shell-fire had a very good chance of developing shell-shock. Beginning with minor symptoms such as tiredness and headaches, it could eventually lead to a complete mental breakdown. Despite being a recognised medical condition, it went unrecognised by the Military for many years. [Original reads: 'Two German shells bursting in our lines.'] |
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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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