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Cathedral at Ypres as it appeared at the end of 1916

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Cathedral at Ypres as it appeared at the end of 1916

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The ruined tower of St Martin's Cathedral dominates the right hand side of the picture. To the left, one soldier stands in front of the doorway and another is walking away from the ruins. The photographer, John Warwick Brooke, has recorded the artillery marks on the building in the foreground...Small wooden carvings and even portions of the stained glass windows of the ruined medieval cathedral were taken from the ruins by members of the Allied Forces. Several can still be seen in churches and museum collections in Britain...[Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON THE BRITISH WESTERN FRONT. The Cathedral at Ypres as it appeared at the end of 1916.']..digital.nls.uk/74547340 ( http://digital.nls.uk/74547340 )

World War I (WWI or WW1), also known as the First World War, or the Great War, was a global war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. World War I Images From National Library of Schotland. These photographs form part of the papers of Field Marshal (Earl) Haig (1861-1928), held by the National Library of Scotland. More information is available from the Library's Digital Archive. Like many World War I generals, Haig remains a controversial figure. The collection contains diaries, papers and photographs from every part of Haig’s career, the Great War diaries being of special importance to historians. Photographs in the "Official Photographs" series (which were destined for publication and have captions on the back describing the image) are in black-and-white. World War I saw the development of a system of 'official’ reporting by professionals especially recruited into the forces. Initially reluctant to allow cameras near the fighting, it took some time for the authorities to appreciate the propaganda and recording potential of photography. These photographs provide us with an invaluable record of how the Government and Military wanted the war perceived. Official photographers were encouraged to record morale-boosting scenes of victory and comradeship. Despite the restrictions placed on them, official war photographers succeeded in giving the most comprehensive visual account of the war. It is important to remember that these images were propaganda; few that could depict the war in a disheartening or disconcerting way passed the censors. As a result the photograph taken was often posed. They were intended to reassure those at home and boost morale. They were printed in newspapers, and were intended to confirm that 'Tommy' was winning the war.

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1914
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National Library of Scotland
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