Le Miroir -1914-1917 photographic newspaper of the Great War

[margaretdufay]

this is the second page.

The headline is

England is passionate about the war;

Picture one

Demonstrators were led by a young bagpipe player passing in front of the War Office;

We are generally inclined to believe that the English will keep their composure in all circumstances. This strange photo shows us just how popular the war is with our friends across the Channel. Parades as loyal as they are enthusiastic are taking place in the streets of London; Flags at the front, near the railway stations, processions of children are going to cheer the soldiers who are leaving, and to express their feelings more loudly, they are improving all sorts of orchestras

The photo on the bottom left,

German subjects are banished from London. Germans and Austro Hundarians who stayed in Paris, have been led into the provinces in the West where they have been placed under military supervision. In England they have taken the same steps for Germans who have been taken into the towns in the North Ease under armed guard.

The photo on the bottom right.

Gerneral Bethune is inspecting the volunteers. Former English colonial civil servants and soldiers have formed a special body which will be ready in a short delay to take up arms. The show of the gentlemen and of these former troopers, tanned by the African sun taking exercice was a strange sight.

[margaretdufay]

Page four

The German hordes are laying waste Belgium

The barbarians billeted in the village of Mouland after the bombing.

The little village of Mouland, located on the Dutch/Belgian border ten kilometres south of Maestricht and two kilometres north of visé and fifteen from Liege, was completely destroyed by the Germans, even though the inhabitants put up no resistance to their advance. they have looted, set fire to the houses and ill treated the peasants, using the method that they use systematically; here they are photographed in front of an inn, where they take every opportunity of appreciating the wines and strong alcohols. All the inhabitants have fled.

The second photo

The rollcall after the sacking and setting fire of the village of mouland.

Instead of arresting their men when they have carried out acts that are contrary to the laws of war, German officers, and we have acquired the evidence many times, encourage their barbaric instincts. Irrefutable documents, found on the dead and on prisoners, have established that the leaders clearly recommended the soldiers to finish off the dead, to fire on civilians and to set fire to the houses. Such are the orders given to troops before and after the battle.

[margaretdufay]

Page five

The Belgian army is falling back on Antwerp.

First photo

A company of Belgian Infantry are falling back from Saint Trond to Tirlemont

After heroically holding against the first wave of the German army, the Belgians who had allowed the French and English troops to concentrate behind their lines, withdrew to the north east following a long established plan; The field army withdrew to the entrenched camp of Antwerp, taking in relation to the German army, a formidable flank position. here is a typical snapshot showing the infantry soldiers marching on the road from Saint trond to Tirlement.

The second photo

How the Belgians are hiding in the fields : crowns of straw.

In response to the disloyal tactics used by the Germans and disapproved of by the civilised world, the Belgians oppose their frank bravery the finesse of a ruse that could not germinate in the teutonic brains. thus the soldiers who have to perform daily reconnaissance duties in the fields where harvests are lying abandonned. they have found a way to escape the gaze of Uhlans. they surround their shakos (Belgian helmet) with a crown of straw, allowing them to hide more easily.

[margaretdufay]

here is a link to to a website concerning Pegoud

http://pegoud.fr/

[margaretdufay]

Last one for tonight

[funfly]

You could do worse than get this whole collection published, it must be unique and I am sure the photographs are mostly new. Now's the time.

We tend to forget, in our enthusiasm for the Great War, how the French themselves reacted at the time.

[margaretdufay]

The Heroic Harvesting of the German standards.

[Jim Strawbridge]

Just discovered this string. Brilliant. Thank you for posting.

[margaretdufay]

[margaretdufay]

First photo is a convoy of injured coming back from Tirlemont to Louvain.

And the second one is of an artillery man who was injured but who insisted on returning to fight.

[margaretdufay]

This one is of the inhabiants of Malines fleeing before the arrival of the Germans.

Bottom left is a photo of Belgian and French soldiers sleeping side by side, and the last one is of a rifleman giving assistance to in an injured comrade, who had just fainted, horrowing experiences for the reporters in the field.

[margaretdufay]

Last one for today,

English nurses in Belgium.

Top photo, the brave nurses from the Yeomanry marching like soldiers.

Botttom left, officers on horseback.

Bottom right, nurses looking after supplies.

[margaretdufay]

Belgian nurses treating German wounded.

[margaretdufay]

[margaretdufay]

Photo of the Pope who had just died.

Definitely last one for tonight, note a very young Prince Albert in the bottom right hand corner.

[margaretdufay]

Le Miroir n° 41 dated sunday 6 September 1914

English officers having breakfast with a French interpreter.

English and French soldiers who are fighting side by side, are fraternizing before going into battle. The Entente Cordiale, which was so solid before, has just been sealed in an indestructible way.

[margaretdufay]

[margaretdufay]

The Serbs are winning victory after victory.

In the top lefthand corner, Prince Alexander is visiting the injured in Nisch.

Top righthand corner, two wounded Serb soldiers.

Bottom lefthand corner, a squadron of cavalry parading in Yagar.

Bottom lefthand corner infantrymen before the battle of La Drina.

[margaretdufay]

Austrians taking revenge on the peasants.

Top lefthand corner, Austrian artillery unit abandonned.

Top righthand corner, in the Matchna plain after the fighting in the battle of Tzer.

Bottom lefthand corner, Bosnian peasants hounded by the war.

The distressing exodus of Serbs in Herzogovina.

[margaretdufay]

[margaretdufay]

they should really be side by side

[MLR]

These are wonderful. Thank you so much for taking the time to scan and post them.

May I crop a small portion of one of these pages and post it on the forum? I have a question about a piece of equipment.

Mary

[margaretdufay]

Hello Mary,

help yourself, if you wish, send me your e mail by PM telling me which page it is and I will send you the scanned page directly. Would be happy to do that.

Mags

[Honora]

Just have to add my thanks to you for the generousity in sharing your find.

A picture can say so much.

Honora

[margaretdufay]

Here are the last pages of this issue