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World War 1 in colour: Have a look at these restored photos from the trenches

The Open University has ‘colourised’ some photos from the time.
8.00am, 6 Aug 2014
20.9k
18

IN COMPARISON TO its more deadly descendant a quarter of a century later, images of the First World War are much rarer and those in colour even more so.

The commemorate the outbreak of the war, The Open University has ’colourised’ some photos from the time to add another perspective on how soldiers and civilians lived.

These ten images also demonstrate the truly global impact of the conflict, featuring British, Canadian, Australian and German soldiers.

World War 1 in colour: Have a look at these restored photos from the trenches
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  • World War 1 in colour

    A trench on the Albanian front in 1918. A soldier receives a hair cut from an Alpine barber.Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    A soldier and horse wear gas masks at the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps Headquarters.Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    A young boy and girl ride in a decorated toy car to promote the Red Cross during a charity fundraising event in Adelaide, Australia.Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    Indian infantry wearing gas masks in a trench, 1915, prepared for a gas attack.Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    Members of the 1st Australian Imperial Force at a camp in Australia (circa 1916).Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    A mobile pigeon loft, enabling messages to be sent from the Front Line back to headquarters. 100,000 carrier pigeons were used as messengers throughout the First World War, and records show they delivered 95% of their messages correctly.Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    A group of soldiers advance from a trench, over a protective sandbag wall (circa 1915).Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    Canadian infantry with the mascot of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, August 1916.Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    German Field Artillery Regiment crew, with a 7.7 cm Feldkanone 96 field gun, 1914.Source: The Open University

  • World War 1 in colour

    "Welcome Home" - Cleveland Frank Snoswell returns home from the First World War, Australia.Source: The Open University

Read: Poignant 1914 newspaper turns Irish clocks back to WWI >

Read: Ever hear of the Irish Jesuit priest who volunteered for WW1 and took these amazing pictures? >

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Author
Rónán Duffy
ronan@thejournal.ie
@ronanduffy_
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