Photographs that tell a story
North-west of Amiens, at the Vignacourt 14-18 interpretation centre, daily life just behind the front line is well documented by a collection of 4,000 negatives on glass plates that were found in the granary of the house of Louis and Antoinette Thuillier, now a museum . These two photography aficionados had improvised a studio in their farmyard where soldiers on leave – mostly Brits – came to pose.
Their moving portraits tell a story full of humanity and solidarity. You can see Australian soldiers having snowball fights with children and frequenting local bistros and county inns. They also improvised concerts and football matches. The Australians mixed with locals, helping in the fields or with sheep-shearing. Through the medium of black and white images, one feels their mutual affection and the serenity afforded by this interlude of genuine human warmth in the heart of the Amiens countryside.
‘I didn’t know such a country existed, and I’m not surprised that the French fought so hard to defend it, because it has something very precious and worth fighting for. The welcome we received was fulsome; everywhere we went, we were welcomed with open arms.’ Australien soldier
