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WW1 - 1914-1918
" Looks of War photographers "
" Regards de photographes de Guerre"
9000 photos
438 pages
PRISONERS
of
WAR
in ENGLAND
London
How news of peace was received at a German prisoner camp in England.
The prisoners gathered around the gate of the camp and looked over toward
the American base hospital a few hundred yards away,
where a great parade and celebration was being organized.
The Germans were just as pleased as the Americans at the news, and soon had
their own celebration under way, no less noisy and hilarious than that of the Americans.
"Everybody's happy," remarked an American passing down the road.
"Everybody's happy, even the Fritzies !"
In the center of the group at the gate is the German sergeant-major,
who is formerly in business in America
5 December 1918
Photographer : American Red Cross Official Photograph
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
London
How the news of peace reached a German Prison camp in England.
The first tidings came from a young woman Red Cross worker over to the prison camp
and informed the man in charge at the gate of the camp.
He was an American officer and he immediately sent orderlies through the camp with the tidings.
Within a few minutes the work of the camp was abandoned,
and the Germans began a hilarious celebration.
At the gate: Miss Alice Fleener of San Francisco and Lieut. I.I. Hodes of Berkeley, California
ca. 1918
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
London
German prisoners in the hospital prison camp near London celebrate the signing of the armistice.
The Germans learned of the coming of peace from and A.R.C. worker
at the adjoining American military hospital.
They immediately organized a celebration of their own.
Their one band was not enough so they had little groups of men with pots and pans for musical instruments, who marched about the prison camp making a noisy celebration of the big news
December 1918
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
London
How the news of peace was received at a German prison camp somewhere in England.
Two poles, a mattress, blankets, and a mop composed the imitation camel
that led the Peace Celebration Parade of German prisoners around the camp.
For the first time in many months, everybody in the prison camp wore a happy smile,
and it was difficult to tell whether the German prisoners behind the barb wire
or their English guards or the American doctors who care for them,
were the happiest
December 1918
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
London
How the news of peace was received at a German prison camp somewhere in England
The prisoners, looking through the barb-wire could see a great parade of Americans being organized in the grounds of the base hosp. a few hundred yard away.
"There is just as much for us to celebrate as anybody!"
declared the German sergeant major, and the prisoners there upon organized a great parade
of their own, led by an enormous imitation camel, constructed of boards and blankets.
The German sergeant major, masquerading as the Arab driver, loads the camel,
and shouts alternately "Hoch Camile" and "Hoch der Republic"
as the parade makes its way around the grounds of the prison camp
December 1918
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
How the news of peace was received at a German prison camp in England.
Messenger went through the German camp with the news.
Here was on of them stopping a working party to tell them.
"What peace?" says the first prisoner incredulously,
while the rest of the Germans slow down their heavy cart and look questionly at the speakers.
A few seconds and the truth dawned on them and the cart was abandonded
in while the Germans throw up their hands and began to cheer and shout
December 1918
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
How the news of peace reached a German Prison camp in England.
The first tidings came from a young woman Red Cross worker over to the prison camp
and informed the man in charge at the gate of the camp.
He was an American officer and he immediately sent orderlies through the camp with the tidings.
Within a few minutes the work of the camp was abandoned,
and the Germans began a hilarious celebration.
ca. 1918
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
How the news of peace was received at a German prisoner camp somewhere in England.
German prisoners returning from work in the potato field heard the cheering
in the Amer prison camp up the hill and asked what it meant.
When told that peace had been signed, they were incredulous at first, then stunned for a moment.
But quickly the full import of the news came upon them and then began to smile,
at first quietly then hillariously.
Before the morning was over, the German prisoners had organized a celebration wich was not
a bit less enthusiastic than that at the Amer military camp up the hill.
The American Red Cross girl who is telling them the news is Miss Alice Fleenor of San Francisco
December 1918
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
Dartford
The "Victory Parade" at the American Base Hospital at Dartford, near London, on Nov. 11
when the signing of the armistice was announced.
After the parade had marched all through the Hospital, somebody suggested that it go through
the German prison camp,
which is located behind a wide barb-wire enclosure
a few hundred yards down the road from the hospital.
So admission was obtained and the American parade marched all through the German Prison camp, enthusiastically applauded by the Germans,
who were just as happy as anybody over the coming of peace.
The regulations did not permit the photographer to take any pictures of the parade
after is was inside the prison camp proper,
but this picture is taken just at the entrance,
the building in the background being the administration building and the barracks of the British staff which guards the prisoners.
The spectators lined up along the route of the parade are all members of the British Guard.
The Prisoners are all further in on a long hut barracks
2 December 1918
Photographer : ARC. Commission to England
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
London
Batch of repatriated British prisoners of war officers and men arrived today
at Waterloo Station distributing flowers and cigarettes to one of the disabled soldiers
November 1917
Photographer : British Official
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)