The Crosses, Row on Row

One hundred years ago yesterday, a young Canadian soldier named Alexis Helmer was killed at the guns during the Second Battle of Ypres. One hundred years ago today, his good friend, a Canadian doctor named John McCrae, was moved to set down those evocative lines, "In Flanders fields, the poppies blow...." 

As McCrae himself wrote of the battle, afterwards: 

"The general impression in my mind is of a nightmare. We have been in the most bitter of fights. For seventeen days and seventeen nights none of us have had our clothes off, nor our boots even, except occasionally. In all that time while I was awake, gunfire and rifle fire never ceased for sixty seconds, and it was sticking to our utmost by a weak line all but ready to break, knowing nothing of what was going on, and depressed by reports of anxious infantry."*

McCrae was situated at an advanced dressing station, called Essex Farm, the first point of care for wounded soldiers, just behind the front line. Since many men sadly did not make it further, advanced dressing stations were usually joined by hastily constructed cemeteries, Like most front line cemeteries, the crosses were makeshift, the layouts haphazard. After the war, the crosses were gradually replaced by the carved headstones in place today. McCrae's "crosses, row on row" exist only in photographs. 

For the centenary of a poem that's struck a chord like few others, a collection of those photographs of wartime cemeteries, in Flanders fields. 

* John McCrae, "In Flanders Fields and Other Poems." 1919. Online

© IWM (Q 17851)

Cemetery at the Hospice Notre Dame, Ypres. Source

© IWM (Q 17852)

Ypres Reservoir Cemetery. Source

© IWM (Q 9042)

A British officer and his dog at Wavans War Cemetery (which includes the grave of top British ace James McCudden), 1918. Source

Remembrance Day

Another in the series of portraits of soldiers of the First World War, for the 94th anniversary of Armistice Day. The Imperial War Museum is now doing their own "Faces of the First World War", posting one a day (here); these are all drawn from that collection. For an image focus I've kept captions minimal, but many contributors have added loads of information in the IWM posts, so do follow the links.

Imperial War Museum

Lieutenant William Hamo Vernon, from Kent, killed October 7, 1916, aged 21.  Source

Imperial War Museum

Captain W. M. L. Escombe, from Kent. Source

Imperial War Museum

Private Frank Joseph Butterworth of Queensland, Australia, killed August 4, 1916, aged 22. Source

Americans in World War Two

Part Two of a Memorial Day weekend series. "Americans in World War Two" is about as broad as you get, and I haven't even tried to encapsulate it; rather I've selected a collection of compelling photographs in the general spirit of remembering those who fought and what they had to go through.

A medic gives blood plasma to a wounded soldier, Sicily, 1943. Source

Wounded soldiers await evacuation on Omaha Beach, France, 1944. Source

Infantrymen firing mortars ( holding their ears as they do) after crossing the Rhine, Germany, 1945. Source

Americans in World War One

The start of a three-part series for the Memorial Day weekend. The Americans may have come to the Great War later than many, but their experience was every bit as intense. 

From the LIFE photo archives (though not LIFE magazine, which didn't yet exist), plus one from the Imperial War Museum. 

1917-1918, of course.

A young soldier boarding a train for the Front. Source

American troops lined up in London before being shipped to the front. Source

Troops on the move. Source

Gallipoli

Today, in 1915, ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) embarked on the Gallipoli campaign-- a long, bloody, and ultimately unsuccessful attack against the Turkish Empire. Like the Canadian experiences at Ypres and Dieppe, the shared sadness and pride triggered deep national sentiment that carries through to this day. On Anzac Day, we remember those who fell and those who fought. 

Photographs from Gallipoli, 1915, thanks to the National Library of New Zealand, the Australian War Memorial Collection, and the State Libraries of New South Wales and Queensland. 

6th Battalion soldiers leaving their transport ship, April 25, 1915. Source

Auckland Battalion landing. Source

Boats carrying troops to shore. Source

More Faces of World War One

Definitely time for another one of these. (More)

James Nash (2nd Lieutenant). Source

George Alfred Batson (2nd Corporal, Royal Engineers. Killed in 1915). Source

Kenneth George Haslam Ford (Lieutenant, Cheshire Regiment. Killed in 1915, age 20). Source

Harold Jordan (Stoker Petty Officer). Source

Oliver Curtis New (Lance Corporal, Machine Gun Corps. Killed 1918, age 24) Source

J. A. Naylor (Captain, London Rifle Brigade). Source

Clive Townsend Thompson (driver, Field Artillery Brigade, Australian Imperial Force. Killed at Passchendaele, 1917).  Source

E. St. V. Nepean, (Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery). Source

An unnamed man of the Royal Flying Corps. Source

John Edward Newton (Private, Northumberland Fusiliers. Killed 1917). Source

R. C. Thompson (Lieutenant, ANZAC). Source

W. Neill (Private, Northumberland Fusiliers) Source

R. R. Wood (Lieutenant). Source

Stewart Hugh Joseph (Major, Royal Engineers. Killed in Flanders, 1917). Source

James Hope Nelson (2nd Lieutenant, Reserve Cavalry). Source

J. A. Jordan (Private, Worcestershire Regiment). Source

George Tinsley Thompson (Sergeant, New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade. Killed at Gallipoli, 1915, age 24). Source

K. F. Nichol (2nd Lieutenent, RFC/RAF). Source

Lest We Forget

Today, at 11 o'clock in 1918, World War One finally ended*. As readers of this blog will know, I find this war especially touching and sad. It gets to me that anyone ever had to endure such miserable conditions, let alone very young men from very far away places fighting for no good reason at all.

It is Remembrance Day today in Canada and many other countries (Veteran's Day in the US); let us spend some time to think about what our compatriots had to go through-- to think about those young men who went and never came back, and those who did. No one should ever have to endure anything like this, ever.

In their memory.

*I know it's not as simple as that; but essentially.

The graves of three Canadian soldiers where they fell, amongst the barbed wire. Source

Two German soldiers helping in an injured Canadian. Source

The first men to cross the Somme. Source

Digging a trench. Source

Cycle orderlies under shell fire. Source

Soldiers in the mud. Source

Soldiers resting on the way up to the trenches. I think this is made even more potent by the man in the middle smiling his head off. Source

Scene on the Somme Front. Source

A thanksgiving service in the ruins of the cathedral, Chambrai. Source

British soldiers going up to the trenches. Source

British soldier washing from a bucket. Source

Winter scene on the Western Front. Source

Cooking dinner amid the ruins of a village. Source

A town after bombardment. Source

Army chaplain conducting a service from the cockpit of an airplane. Source

The town of Amiens under shellfire. Source

Muddy grave of an unknown soldier. Source

Moving ammunition past a row of graves. Source

War memorial for fallen Newfoundland soldiers. Source

The graves of British soldiers in France. Source

A British soldier at the grave of a comrade. Source

Selected World War One posts:

Sleeping on the Western Front

Letters Home

Faces of World War One, 1 and 2

Experiencing the Front

Smiling at the Front

Colour Photographs of World War One, 1 and 2

Armistice Day