Artillery Gallery

L Battery, Royal Horse Artillery

L Battery, Royal Horse Artillery. How our gunners won the VC and silenced the fire of the German guns in face of overwhelming odds Retreat from Mons, 1st September 1914. Fortunino Matania, Ri (1881-1963). One of the most accomplished realistic illustrators and artists of his time, his wartime work was immensely popular and appeared in nearly every major news magazine, Allied, Neutral and Central Powers alike. Literally tens of millions of readers saw wartime events through the medium of Matania's weekly illustrations and, as such, he played an important role in defining people's mental image of what Great War battlefield scenes and soldiers looked like Date: 1914

© David Cohen Fine Art/Mary Evans Picture Library

German Railway gun captured at the Battle of Amiens - WW1

A huge German Railway gun captured at the Battle of Amiens on 8th August 1918 became a source of some Allied controversy. The Australian 31st Battalion effected its capture, but, in the wake of the continued Allied advance, the gun received a large painted inscription stating that the gun had been captured by the British 4th Army (see picture) of which the ANZAC Corps was a component. A thorough investigation was made of the circumstances of the gun's capture - an insightful example of the contested nature of war material involving notions of identity and ownership - before it was finally transported to Australia for public display (AWM Archive). The gun was originally intended for naval use, mounted in the battleship SMS Hessen. Date: 1918

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

A British Advanced observation post

A ruined house is used as an advanced observation post by British officers. Situated close to German lines, the officers relay information back about the accuracy of artillery fire. The dark cloth seen behind one of the officers (with binoculars) helps to disguise any movement. Seen against a background of sky, he would inevitably attract the attention of snipers. Date: 1915

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans