Photographers > Ernest Brooks
(256) C.1890 - Water fight at sea
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| First World War 'Official Photographs' > Photographers > Ernest Brooks > (256) C.1890 - Water fight at sea |
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| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/74546890 |
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| Description | Soldiers having fun in the sea. All of the men have changed into their swimming gear. There is a great deal of splashing and fooling around, particularly in the foreground. The men all look very happy and relaxed. In the distance more men can be seen making their way into the water. It is a pleasant and positive scene - in marked contrast to the horror of life in the trenches. Recreational activities such as sports days and competitions were sometimes organised for the men. It was an opportunity for them to relax, and offered a momentary escape from life at the Front. Such days were few and far between. Swimming in the sea would have been a rare treat for the men in this photograph. [Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN ON THE BRITISH WESTERN FRONT IN FRANCE - A WATER FIGHT AT SEA.'] |
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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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