Well what a photo this is! Margaret Stewart has shared this photo which features a WW1 Artillery Squad. The photo was in her family album and although names are not known, it is likely that a family member was part of this group.
Pictured in full uniform, these 21 men stand beside a gun, capable of firing 4″ shells, which are seen in display in the peripherals of this photo.
In what was Britain’s first industrial war, huge amounts of munitions were needed – but the men who dominated manufacturing jobs had left to fight. So it was down to more than 600,000 women to take on roles in mills, laboratories and factories to help the First World War effort on the Home Front.
We have to wonder looking back at this photo, just who survived the war and what damage their targeting skills managed to inflict.
Hi Paul The artillery photo was a demonstration team who toured towns in Britain to “persuade” men to join up the artillery. Different parts of the armed forces used other means ie tanks, aircraft etc. Most of these men were usually classified as “second class” to be returned to light duties. Many had been wounded. I had a relation who had been gassed and was part of a demonstration vicker’s machine gun crew who toured Britain. I have his booklet “how to take apart and clean a Vickers gun” somewhere.