My grandad's pics from the Western Front 1918

[morpheus2]

My Grandad - after suffering injuries at the Somme and as a result losing a leg, he was taken from the Western Front to a hospital in France where he recorded some snapshots of his life...
I thank those brave men and women - and as an animal lover, not forgeting all the dogs, horses and pigeons (and any other creature) who paid the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Thank you.

[bobinho]

Great images there, thanks for posting up here. Interesting is the portrait of a German soldier, just goes to demonstrate the respect between enemy soldiers despite the differences of their relative governments.

[dougcollins]

Portraits are difficult, they are extremely evocative.

He was a talented man.

[BigF]

With respect to them all. By making his portraits he helped ensure they are not forgotten.

[bodge]

They are fantastic morpheus.

[Dark Cloud]

It's really interesting seeing his portrait of "Digger". When I visited The Somme a couple of years back, even though I believed I already knew a fair bit about the history and what occurred there, I was absolutely amazed by how almost every other grave seemed to be a fallen Australian. They came and died in their tens of thousands and that I hadn't realised before.

[Dyched]

Send these pics off to the imperial war museum or any other. They’d want them I’m sure. Soldiers made some great art during both World Wars.

[Bosscat]

Brilliant Morpheus ... Thank you for sharing them with us

[Conroysleftfoot]

Amazing, a great post.

[bobinho]

It's really interesting seeing his portrait of "Digger". When I visited The Somme a couple of years back, even though I believed I already knew a fair bit about the history and what occurred there, I was absolutely amazed by how almost every other grave seemed to be a fallen Australian. They came and died in their tens of thousands and that I hadn't realised before.

The Canadians were the same. At Vimy Ridge, 4 Canadian divisions went ‘over the top’ to engage the enemy.

That’s about 18,000 per division.

Staggering.

[Dark Cloud]

The Canadians were the same. At Vimy Ridge, 4 Canadian divisions went ‘over the top’ to engage the enemy.

Staggering.

Absolutely and I visited the "Newfoundland" memorial sited on a field which witnessed total carnage in 1916. I wasn't even aware people had traveled all the way from Newfoundland just to fight and die on a muddy French field. Same with South Africans too at Devil's Wood and there's a permanent visitor centre there too, right on the edge of the wood.

[Dark Cloud]

There's a spot just outside the sleepy hamlet of Beaumont-Hamel known nowadays as The Sunken Lane which was at that time in no man's land. It really is just as it's nickname suggests. A short farm track of about 150 yards and one side of the lane is a slightly raised bank with a hedge on top. It certainly is an extremely eerie and evocative spot to visit, bearing in mind it's significance. If you crouch down you could just about hide in it and I BELIEVE that in early August 1916 at the start of the Somme offensive many "pals" from East Lancashire were huddled in that lane, crawling low as not to be seen. They went over the top and had to cross a field of about 100 yards to reach a wooded area on the fringe of the village on the other side which the enemy were holding. Nobody made it to the other side and most never even got half way. Many local lads from around here died in this small area at that time and research has led me to believe that my grandfather's twin brother was shot there as his regiment is listed as having been in the lane the day before he was mortally wounded. Records state that he didn't die at the scene, but died at the nearby field hospital shortly afterwards and he's buried in the cemetery at the field hospital site along with hundreds of others.

[longside72]

Vimy Ridge is an amazing place to visit , you can still walk in the trenches with parts only 20/30 yards between both front lines and also go down the underground tunnels that were dug by Canadians and also Welsh soldiers i think

[bfcjg]

Thank you for sharing them.

[Goodclaret]

Thanks for sharing morpheus - really stirs the emotions that's for sure

[morpheus2]

Great images there, thanks for posting up here. Interesting is the portrait of a German soldier, just goes to demonstrate the respect between enemy soldiers despite the differences of their relative governments.

Thank you, yes the German soldier picture is of particular interest - apparently my grandad had to scrub the title off for security purposes so as not to give away the position of German POWs who were helping load and unload the injured from trucks at No2 Stationary Hospital at Abbeville.

[nil_desperandum]

Very talented artist. You should be very proud of him on many levels.

[Tribesmen]

Good day to start this thread

[JohnMac]

Thank you for sharing.

Lest We Forget

[kritichris]

I visited the Vimy Ridge memorial a few years ago so just dug these out.

The top of the main memorial.

Vimy2.JPG (224.14 KiB) Viewed 1020 times

View from the ridge.

Vimy1.JPG (333.63 KiB) Viewed 1020 times

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

Wonderful pictures. Thank you very much for sharing your treasures.

[icu81b4]

Very interesting thread, thanks for sharing.

[yTib]

absolutely cracking post from morpheus!

[Taffy on the wing]

Digger looks a bit like Ashley Barnes!

Great pictures, it always saddens me to think of all those young men being slaughtered.

Never again!

[elwaclaret]

As suggested above, I’d be very surprised if these are of not of national importance. There existence needs recording, even if you wish to retain them personally. If you need any help I am lucky enough to be lectured by some of the most respected historians on the circuit, who I could approach on your behalf to guide you.

[bpgburn]

I read some years ago Aussies got the nickname diggers as during the battle of Gallipoli and under such unexpected heavy fire the order was "dig, dig, dig for your lives"

Great paintings, you are very lucky to have them, you must be very proud...

[RingoMcCartney]

Poignant and humbling.

Thanks for sharing. Genuinely appreciated.

[Buxtonclaret]

Outstanding, Morpheus.
Truly.

[evensteadiereddie]

Superb, Morpheous. Thanks for your post.