WORLD WAR 1 WINDOWS

Coventry’s first gasworks near the city centre was privately owned and had started in 1824. It was a restricted site, with coal having to be delivered by horse and cart, which had been hand-loaded via pan-shovels from a railway siding some distance away. It was found that this privately owned company was unable to meet the city’s demands and later, the supply of gas was taken over by the city council. Foleshill gas storage tank 1995 and the rear view of the new Ricoh Arena 2009. Both photos taken from the same canal towpath. Why Foleshill Became Coventry’s New Gas Hub On the west side of the Coventry Canal in the district of Foleshill, the council purchased and developed a 40 acre site for gas supplies. This included a massive storage tank about 85 yards high and 43 yards in diameter, which could contain up to 5 million cubic feet of gas. Another reason the council had chosen this site was because, being next to the canal, it allowed easy access for narrow-boats ferrying the...

This WW1 photograph shows a large number of inpatients in front of a British hospital. The memorial stone on the front, reads ‘Alderman Thomas Turnbull Hospital’, and has the name, ‘Manchester’. I acquired this photograph from a flea-market in my local town and therefore decided to do a little research and use a magnifying glass to pick up detail. Facial injury treatment during World War One The group of about 150 wounded and convalescing servicemen seem to have mostly eye, nose and chin wounds, suggesting the hospital specialised in facial injuries. Apart from rifle and machine gunfire, a large number of injuries were caused by the metal fragments from exploding shells, often causing blindness, deafness and burns to exposed skin. Injuries often required regular cleansing and dressing leading to long periods of convalescence. In the community, some civilians were shocked at how disfigured the inpatients were. World War One Manchester Military Hospital Colonial soldiers in Bri...

Explore the role of the Royal Army Medical Corps in WW1 through a rare photograph showing a medical orderly with early battlefield dressings, sphagnum moss bandages and Great War medical practices. I came across this photograph on a stand in a flea market not far from where I live. How the Royal Army Medical Corps treated wounds in WW1 This world war one photograph shows a stoic Royal Army Medical Corp with medicinal gear in readiness for what the Great War had in store. The absorbency of the field dressings became paramount, as heavy blood loss was common on the battlefield. A medial orderly in front of bell tents Medical Practices in the Great War Here, this RAMC serviceman carries a kit, likely comprising antiseptic wound dressings of muslin and wool, which would be used as an immediate application to a wound until the stretcher bearers arrived. For very heavy blood loss, bog moss from Scotland was used for high absorbency and antiseptic properties. Sphagnum, as it wa...

Explore a rare WW1 photograph showing wounded servicemen and VAD nurses outside a military hospital, highlighting convalescence, hospital blues and the vital role of Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses. This photo show outdoor recovery practices in WW1 hospitals Photograph of WW1 servicemen with VAD nurses This WW1 photograph, taken outside the hospital grounds, demonstrates the principle that fresh air is good for health. Here we see approximately 30 wounded and convalescing WW1 servicemen with their nurses. A rare jovial air is reflected by the character in the foreground, reclined upon the lawn in debonair fashion, wearing his sling like a fashion accessory. Wounded WW1 Servicemen with VAD Nurses outside a Military Hospital WW1 Military Hospital Photograph Some of the casualties have been brought outdoors on their beds or wheelchairs, having donned their hospital uniforms for the shot. The fabric would have been Oxford blue with white collar and red tie. A large numbe...

Explore a rare 1914 photograph of British Red Cross nurses in a Hampshire hospital, capturing the atmosphere just days before WW1 and the early lives of VAD and trained nurses. Always on the lookout for old photos, this one caught my eye. The sepia tinge seems in keeping with the age of the photo. A Rare Pre‑WW1 Photograph of a Hampshire Hospital This old photo of an English hospital has a Victorian feel. The interior shows wooden rafters, open plan with an air of high discipline judging by the postures of the nurses and the starchy British Cross uniforms. See all the nurses standing neatly in a row. British Red Cross Nurses in a Hampshire Hospital Prior to WW1 At the back of the photograph, a nurse called Gracie writes the date, which is 31 July 1914, although the date displayed on the front gives the date 27 May 1914. Hants, discloses the location being Hampshire, a county on the south coast of England. The Life and Work of British Red Cross Nurses The date on the rea...

A century-old photograph captures a rare and disarming moment on the Western Front: eight World War I privates gathered outside their bell tent. A Rare Glimpse of Humour on the Western Front playfully posing as the self‑styled “Lazy Tribe.” With theatrically applied bandages, a staged limp and a painted‑on black eye, the scene hints at a brief attempt to inject humour into the bleakness of trench life. Yet behind the light‑hearted performance, the expressions of these young men reveal a deeper story—one of exhaustion, camaraderie and the haunting weight of war that no joke could fully disguise. This World War 1 photograph shows eight privates outside of their bell tent. It would appear that these squaddies are made up to look wounded. A contrived feel pervades over the theatrically-applied bandages, a ‘black’ eye and a limp. The Lazy Tribe in front of a Bell Tent during WW1 The Lazy Tribe: A Rare Moment of Humour in a WW1 Bell Tent At such grim times as on the Western front...

A rare World War I photograph captures two medics of the Royal Army Medical Corps standing outside a makeshift dental surgery, quietly waiting as soldiers inside endure the crude and often painful treatments of the era. Dental Treatment for Soldiers During WW1 At a time when dentistry was still developing and proper regulation was decades away, many recruits suffered from poor dental health, and extractions were often the only remedy available. This image offers a stark glimpse into an overlooked aspect of wartime life—one where medical improvisation, limited resources and the relentless demands of the front line shaped the daily reality for both patients and the medics who treated them. In more detail, this rare photograph shows two medics of the Royal Army Corps waiting outside a dentist’s surgery during World War 1. Dental treatment dished out within, would likely have been basic and unpleasant. Medics of the Royal Army Waiting outside A Dental Surgery during WW1 Early 20t...