A History of the Great War in 100 Objects - what would you choose?

[FROGSMILE]

13 minutes ago, Steven Broomfield said:

No, but it seems appropriate somehow.

Is there a room for a Turkish woman sniper, or a German machine gunner chained to his weapon? They would serve perfectly well to illustrate the myths and legends which have grown round the subject.

Yes indeed, add to that list the “Angel of Mons”!

Edited 1 August , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[knittinganddeath]

On 01/08/2021 at 10:45, Steven Broomfield said:

a Turkish woman sniper

There's always room for whatever we want to include! Thanks for your comment btw -- I'd never heard of this sniper legend, so searched for an old thread and found this one (what a rabbit hole!):

I thought the debate was well settled after the first page. Yet the thread contains 350+ replies!?

Interestingly, the type of "evidence" that is presented for the existence of Turkish women snipers is almost exactly the same as that given for the crucified Canadian of Ypres.

 

 

[FROGSMILE]

53 minutes ago, knittinganddeath said:

There's always room for whatever we want to include! Thanks for your comment btw -- I'd never heard of this sniper legend, so searched for an old thread and found this one (what a rabbit hole!):

I thought the debate was well settled after the first page. Yet the thread contains 350+ replies!?

Interestingly, the type of "evidence" that is presented for the existence of Turkish women snipers is almost exactly the same as that given for the crucified Canadian of Ypres.

 

 

As so many journalists say (and they are often the original source of such legends), "why let the truth get in the way of a good story?"

[Gunner Bailey]

Barbed wire and associated iron stakes. 

Mills Grenade

Stick Grenade

Adrian Helmet

.303 round

Trench periscope

Gas hoods

Mud

A medal pair

Shrapnel

SE5a

Tank

 

To start my list. 

 

[Ian Ference]

Along with the A.O. Fasser Collection of stereoscopic images, I would add the Fritz Erler "9th Arrow" illustration, the Yser medal, a Mk3 SMLE, a French .75, and this amazing folding German postcard:

 

[Steven Broomfield]

1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said:

As so many journalists say (and they are often the original source of such legends), "why let the truth get in the way of a good story?"

'When legend becomes fact, print the legend'

[FROGSMILE]

6 minutes ago, Steven Broomfield said:

'When legend becomes fact, print the legend'

Yes indeed Steven....AKA:  "anything that sells newspapers".

Edited 2 August , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[RaySearching]

The recipe and instructions  for eating cats in the trenches

[Ian Ference]

Don't forget a complete original set of The Wipers Time, Somme Times, etc!

[Tonyb]

I would include the Verdun ossiary. IMHO it is one of the most emotional and evocative memorials of all time, especially if include the cemetery below. I visited in 1970 and there were no coaches and probably less than a dozen visitors inside the ossiary. Very quiet and peaceful. 
Tony

[knittinganddeath]

17 hours ago, Ian Ference said:

A.O. Fasser Collection of stereoscopic images

Great addition! I did a search for some of the images and just wish that I could see them through a stereoscope. Thank you for sharing that German postcard too. The bright colours are such a contrast to monochromatic newspapers and letters, and together with the folding/pop-up aspect they make a very dynamic, alive piece.

 

17 hours ago, RaySearching said:

The recipe and instructions  for eating cats in the trenches

Oh my...a forum search brought up this thread, which even in its own time was deemed "classic" (and not really in a good way)... o.O

 

[Ian Ference]

5 hours ago, knittinganddeath said:

Great addition! I did a search for some of the images and just wish that I could see them through a stereoscope.

Come to NYC and indeed you can - it was always a fundamental part of our charter that the Jordan/Ference Collection be accessible to scholars, researchers, and the interested public as much as possible. It was a bit more difficult when it was housed in rural Texas, but now that it's in New York things are a bit more realistic for sharing the images; we just ask that you handle them with the deference due to such a remarkable set of plates!

[Terry_Reeves]

British army bootlaces. Without them Tipperary would have been much further away.

TR