Private photos from World War 1

[Oystein]

Some more destruction
(I have no information on where this is. I suppose in the same region as before – Champagne, Ardennes.)

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3574.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

I have no idea which church this is. Reims is not very far away, but I am sure the Reims cathedral is much larger.

[imgw=533]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3575_hoch.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

Auf Bahnhof Nordhausen 18/12.17

In Nordhausen train station, December 18th 1917
This image is not glued in but loose.
Unfortunately, no indication who the person marked with cross might be. I have several postcards from that time, but can't associate the handwriting with any certainty. It could be my grand-uncle, Jean-Pierre Maraite.
Is this image sufficient to date all the others? Let the first album's aerial photos then be from summer and fall 1917, the railway images from december 1917 (were they home for Christmas?), and the French pictures then late december 1917 and january 1918, maybe going into spring?

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3576.JPG[/imgw]

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3577.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

Alright, you History and Arts buffs! A slave market, right? Some biblical story? I am as clueless as you are what this photo shows and where it is from.

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3578.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

I think this is just pretty. Bee hives and all.

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3579.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

Wow! Above the clouds! Now we are flying!
The markings on the edges are back.

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3580.JPG[/imgw]

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3581.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

This would be great for the „Identify the place“ thread in the Member Only forum!
Any ideas? That must certainly be near the western front, in the vicinity of our little air field in Rilly-sur-Aisne.
The sun shines from the top of the image – that would be near south. To compare with maps, you better turn the picture around.

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3582.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

Silly

[imgw=533]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3583_rot.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

I count about 50 living soldiers, and 14 crosses.

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3584.JPG[/imgw]

 

[Oystein]

Ok, that were all photographs.
Later, I'll add 2 or 3 postcards, and then I am done.

 

[Oystein]

Those cows are dowsing?

Hey! That's not the picture I was commenting on!

Sorry, I exchanged the image numer ^^
You can find the cow pic still, if you show the image, and play with the picture number in the URL. I just didn't think the cows were of any interest

 

[One Skunk Todd]

They're sure turning that cathedral into a supply depot or fortified position. Look at all the ammunition belts and cases on the lower left side. The boxes on the right side might be more ammo, maybe for artillery rounds.

ETA: Heh, I think they've turned the table in front of the altar into a loading bench. It looks like they've got two devices clamped there to reload cloth machinegun belts.

 

[rjh01]

Alright, you History and Arts buffs! A slave market, right? Some biblical story? I am as clueless as you are what this photo shows and where it is from.

[imgw=800]http://www.maraite.net/jean-pierre/DSC_3578.JPG[/imgw]

Could it be a picture of a painting? It seems more 2D than other pictures.


Edit. Great pictures.

 

[Oystein]

They're sure turning that cathedral into a supply depot or fortified position. Look at all the ammunition belts and cases on the lower left side. The boxes on the right side might be more ammo, maybe for artillery rounds.

ETA: Heh, I think they've turned the table in front of the altar into a loading bench. It looks like they've got two devices clamped there to reload cloth machinegun belts.

It is interesting how much more detail I notice and see now that I have digitized the images. I am trying to read what is written on the box in the lower left corner, playing with gamma and contrast, but can't figure iit out completely.
"Kasten für G....futter IIi"

 

[Oystein]

Could it be a picture of a painting? It seems more 2D than other pictures.


Edit. Great pictures.

Since I reckon they didn't hold slave markets n France, yes, this most definitely is a painting

Could be in the church - but a naked woman? Hmmm

 

[I Ratant]

This #89 appears to be the same airfield as in #21.

 

[Oystein]

This #89 appears to be the same airfield as in #21.

It is, outside of Rilly, apparently

 

[Graybeard6]

It's almost certainly Susanna and the Elders from the Book of Daniel. I couldn't find the exact painting? drawing? shown, but it seems that just about every painter has tried it. There's even an opera, set in Tennessee during the 1950s.

 

[Flashman]

Wonderful photos, Oystein. Thank you.