Decipher Family Photographs: A photo from later in the war, probably somewhere on the Western Front

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A photo from later in the war, probably somewhere on the Western Front

Photographers in the rear areas of all the battle zones did a roaring trade in providing soldiers with images of themselves as a souvenir of their service, which differ from the photographs taken at home in a couple of ways. Soldiers generally carry respirators (although not in this image). They usually bear the marks of war - dirty uniforms, muddy boots, and miscellaneous equipment slung about their person. They might be taken in photographic studios or anywhere in the ruins of Belgium or France. In many cases these photographs were never collected.