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Portuguese at a Gas School, Flanders
Summary
Portuguese soldiers queuing to enter a gas shed. There is a shed to the left of the photograph which has been positioned at the bottom of a small hill. This hill is covered in rough grass and there is a bush growing behind the shed. The shed itself is covered in nailed but un-tarred felt. The door, however, has been left as plain wooden planks. There is Portuguese written on the door as well as English, 'Perigo, Danger, Gaz.'..Outside of this door are five soldiers queuing along the foot of the bank. They are wearing their uniforms and carrying little equipment bags. They have no helmets on but do have leather straps over their heads and the edge of their gas masks is visible. ..Gas attacks and working in gaseous atmospheres would have been alien to most of the troops recruited towards the end of the war. As a result training was an important part of producing competent and efficient soldiers...[Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN ON THE BRITISH WESTERN FRONT. Portuguese at a Gas School.']..digital.nls.uk/74547106 ( http://digital.nls.uk/74547106 )
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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