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French peasant girls grazing cattle chatting to Tommy
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French farming girls talking with British soldiers while cattle graze, France, during World War I. This scene shows two French country girls taking a break from watching their cattle to chat with some British soldiers. Both of the young women are dressed in the traditional French country garb complete with bonnet and walking stick. One of the British soldiers is holding on to a bull while it grazes at the side of the road. ..Revealingly, it appears that most of the history regarding 'the Great War' concentrates on the theatres of war, rather than exploring the civilian viewpoint. This silent chorus of missing civilian voices is especially noticeable in the seemingly under-explored area of how the British troops and French civilians treated one another. It would be interesting to learn what general attitudes existed within these two groups, as they lived close to one another throughout the conflict...[Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON THE BRITISH WESTERN FRONT IN FRANCE. A wayside scene not far from the line. French peasant girls grazing cattle chatting to Tommy.']..digital.nls.uk/74549062 ( http://digital.nls.uk/74549062 )
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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