William Langford. The Great War Illustrated, 1915: Archive Photographs of WWI. South Yorkshire, UK: Pen & Sword Military, 2021. Softcover, illustrated, 390pp. ISBN: 1399085166. Review by Peter L. Belmonte
NOTE: There appear to be two editions of this book, one of which apparently contains color photographs. This review refers specifically to the one without color photographs. If in doubt, please refer to the ISBN.
During World War I professional and amateur photographers took countless pictures. These pictures found their way into magazines and newspapers as well as archives and personal photo albums. Most of the pictures never saw the light of day. This book, covering 1915 and containing over 1,000 and some maps, is the second in a series of five to bring to light many of these pictures. All of the photographs in the series are from the archive of British military collector and medal dealer Peter N. Taylor who accumulated them over many years. The pictures originate from all types of sources, from official government photographs to private “snapshots.”
All of the photographs are accompanied by captions, and some of these are the original captions. Each photograph has been assigned an identifying number so that editors and authors may use them in the future.
The photographs depict men on both sides, including British Commonwealth soldiers, equipment, weapons, landscapes, ships, etc. This volume is organized topically to cover the action of 1915: fighting at sea, the Middle East and Gallipoli, Neuve Chapelle, Ypres, Hill 60, gas, Zeppelins, the New Army, armaments, and Loos. Sprinkled throughout are short snippets covering various topics such as descriptions of the deeds performed by men who earned the Victoria Cross.
The pictures are presented with no real context other than the general chapter headings listed above. Highlights include fine images of warships, German soldiers, Indian soldiers, troops using improvised rifles with trench telescopes, casualties, and rear area activities. Some images are very clear and sharp while others are less so.
The sheer volume of photographs, coupled with the breadth of topics, makes this a difficult book to review. Readers will find themselves pausing to study individual faces, pieces of equipment, weapons, and scenery as they go through the book. The images of trench life are fascinating. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in photographs of the war. When this series is complete, it will be a fine photographic record of the war.
Peter L. Belmonte is a retired U.S. Air Force officer, author, and historian. A veteran of Operation Desert Storm, he holds a master’s degree in history from California State University, Stanislaus. He has published articles, book chapters, reviews, and papers about immigration and military history. Pete’s books include: Italian Americans in World War II (Arcadia, 2001), Days of Perfect Hell: The U.S. 26th Infantry Regiment in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, October-November, 1918 (Schiffer, 2015), Forgotten Soldiers of World War I: America’s Immigrant Doughboys (with Alexander F. Barnes, Schiffer, 2018), Play Ball! Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War (with co-authors Alexander F. Barnes and Samuel O. Barnes, Schiffer Books, 2019), Chicago-Area Italians in World War I: A Case Study of Calabrians (Fonthill Media, 2019), and United States Army Depot Brigades in World War I (with co-author Alexander F. Barnes, McFarland, 2021). He is also working on a multi-volume history of Italian Americans in World War I. You may see his books at his webpage: https://www.amazon.com/author/peter.belmonte.
