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Life During World War I in Photographs
Image: Digital Photograph - Returned Serviceman and Family at his World War 1 Homecoming, Brunswick, circa 1918
Source: Museum Victoria
Photographs in private albums form an important record of life at home and at the front during World War I, and of life in the years immediately after the war had ended. By the early 20th century, many people owned inexpensive cameras that took small black and white photographs. Home photographic processing was also a growing hobby. Photographers on the home front recorded important events such as farewells, family parties and celebrations to welcome soldiers home.
Some soldiers at the front surreptitiously took photos, against orders, to document their experiences, complementing their diary accounts; others were required to document the war by their units, which became part of the official war history. Charles Bean, Australia's official historian of World War I, unsuccessfully sought permission to take his own photographs. He was forced instead to rely on official British photographers until 1917. Soldiers' personal photographs include images from training camps, the war front, special meals such as Christmas dinner, local sights and citizens, and incidents that amused them.
Melburnians were quick to show their loyalty when war broke out in August 1914. Two out of every five men aged 18 to 44 enlisted in the military voluntarily, to fight distant battles in Europe and the Middle East. Many Melbourne men were in the 2nd Brigade, which took part in the Anzac landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Within a fortnight one-third were dead or wounded. A year later the reinforced brigade was fighting in the front-line trenches at Pozieres in France. Women played a vital role too, nursing the sick and wounded, raising funds to buy ambulances and guns, and organising food, clothing and newspapers for soldiers at the front. Across Australia, more than 400 000 men volunteered to fight. Of those, within five years more than 60 000 were killed and 156 000 wounded, gassed or taken prisoner. In total, two-thirds of the men who went overseas were killed or wounded, leaving scarcely a family untouched by the war.
Many men returned damaged, shell-shocked, bitter and broken. Returning from the battlefields with the soldiers was a devastating influenza pandemic. In two years, more people around the world died of flu than had been killed in the war. Yet the sacrifices made for the war seemed to confirm Australia's status on the world stage, and a growing sense of national identity was reinforced by celebrating the spirit of the Anzacs.
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 1 - 10) 33 items
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Photograph - '5" Howitzer in Gunpit', Gallipoli, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting the 5" Howitzer in a gunpit at Gallipoli. Attached to a small notebook used as a photograph album, containing 55 black and white photograph ...
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Photograph - '18 Pounder Shell Cases', Gallipoli, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting a collection of empry '18 Pounder' shell cases along with two unidentified servicemen. Attached to a small notebook used as a photograph al ...
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Photograph - 'A Soldier's Burial', Gallipoli, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting an unidentified serviceman with the corpse of another unidentified serviceman that has been prepared and is no awaiting burial. Attached to ...
Images: 2 -
Photograph Album - Private John Lord, Gallipoli & Egypt, World War I, 4 Nov-20 Dec 1915
Army book used as a photograph album, containing images of Gallipoli and Egypt during World War I. Photographs were taken by an unknown soldier between 4 November and 20 December 1915 ...
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Photograph - 'Anzac' Cove, Gallipoli, Turkey, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting a view from Anzac Cove towards Suvla Bay. Attached to a small notebook used as a photograph album, containing 55 black and white photograph ...
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Photograph - Battleship, Gallipoli, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting an unidentified battleship. Attached to a small notebook used as a photograph album, containing 55 black and white photographs of ANZAC sol ...
Images: 1 -
Photograph - 'Cape Helles', Gallipoli, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting Cape Helles, Gallipoli. Cape Helles was one of the landing sites at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. Cape Helles is now one of the main memorial ...
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Photograph - 'Damaged Seaplane', Suvla Bay, Turkey, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting a damaged, unidentified sea plane at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. Attached to a small notebook used as a photograph album, containing 55 black and ...
Images: 1 -
Photograph - 'Death Valley', Gallipoli, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting Death Valley at Gallipoli. This is possibly a reference to the "Valley of Death" which is commonly known as "Shrapnel Valley (or "Gully")" a ...
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Photograph - 'Dug Out on Gallipoli', Gallipoli, Private John Lord, World War I, 1915
Black and white photographic print depicting a dugout at Gallipoli, dated to 1915. Attached to a small notebook used as a photograph album, containing 55 black and white photographs of ...
Images: 1
