benjamin thyla Posted 24 April Share Posted 24 April Good evening gents, Although the Ernest Brooks-topic already was treated extensively in 2010, but it lacks the information that I am looking for. Please do not repeat the links that were mentioned in 2010 already, they do not mention his time in Italy (period-from-until). What I am looking for is the exact period that Ernest Brooks was in Italy 1917-1918. I found that he left Italy in September 1918 (& was succeeded by Brunell), but would it be assumable that he arrived in November 1917 (alongside the British troops)? Sincerely, Benjamin Thyla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 24 April Admin Share Posted 24 April @Patricia Kelly might be able to assist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Kelly Posted 25 April Share Posted 25 April I don't have his exact dates in Italy, but he was in Fontaniva (near Venice) to take photos of the British Army arrival in December 1917. I also found photos he took in Italy in July 1918. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his work in the Italian Naval Campaign. You can find his vast collection of photographs of WW1 on the website of the Imperial War Museum. PK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjamin thyla Posted 25 April Author Share Posted 25 April Yes, these places are mentioned in some of his pictures' captions. I am particularly interested in picture IWM Q 26623: the caption says it was taken in Italy - which makes sense as Brooks took it and he was in Italy from "anything later than November 1917" until September 1918. Considering the region where the British were active, all kinds of "climate" were possible. So what we see in the picture could be an autumn or spring picture for the Venice sector, but a summer picture for a mountainous part on a colder day. R van Emden mentioned in his caption (his book on WW1 mascots) that IWM Q 26623 was taken in November 1917. However, this seems a very tight frame, but it is possible: the pioneers in the picture landed in November 1917 in Italy. If that is the case, then I simply have to stick to what the UKA WD mentions... sincerely, benjamin ps, any thought on this more than welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjamin thyla Posted Tuesday at 07:56 Author Share Posted Tuesday at 07:56 I went through all of Brooks' pictures at the IWM library, which indeed leaves a sensation compatible with what "others" claim: mostly of high quality, many of them staged, not spontaneous, little empathy for local residents, dramatic preference for silhouettes (i.e., his most famous pictures) which again "avoids" empathy... etc. What I was wondering, is "how" or "who" established the numerical order of Brooks' IWM pictures? IWM? Based on dates? The latter seems more unlikely, especially for pictures taken in Italy. Almost none of these are dated. Funny part is that official sites about Brooks mention that he left Italy by September 1918. However, to me it seems Brooks took the bulk of his Italian pictures during the Vittoria Veneto campaign Oct-Nov 1918. Brooks' pictures taken at Arras, Béthune, Passchendaele, Messines, Somme..., bear an exact date. The corresponding IWM numbers 2,5 K up to 3,5 K therefore could be considered as calibration unit of or for his whereabouts in 1916 and 1917. As previously mentioned, I am particularly interested in IWM picture Q 26,623, showing a restrained baboon frolicking with troopers of what appears to be the 24th (Oldham) Manchester Pioneers. The IWM caption is extremely dubious, as it mentions that these RE troopers are coming from South Africa (???) According to the IWM (personal communication) the caption is based on Brooks' note accompanying this picture. Frogsmile even doubts that the picture was taken in Italy (more likely in France he believes); it was also mentioned that professional soldiers ( e.g. coming from SA) joined Regular units before these were established. That is also why the IWM does not want to change the controversial caption: what if the men in the picture with the Oldham Pioneers were SA nationals who had enlisted British units directly, before May 1915? In the meantime we gathered from the Oldham Comrades that only local men from this Manchester area joined that unit and that no SA nationals were enlisted. This was also the case for the 21st, 22nd and 23rd Manchesters, all consisting of local men, "comrades". Then I screened Brooks' IWM pictures left (descending) and right (ascending) from IWM Q 26,623: it then becomes clear that the picture of the baboon is with no doubt taken in Italy, more specifically when Brooks visited "a" (or several?) RE unit(s) in an area where "girls were pruning the trees", a water well was fixed by RE and where a glass of wine was shared with locals... The trees bear no leaves, temperatures seem rather low or frisk, while his July/August pictures of Austro/Hungarian PoWs bear 1) numbers > 26,800 and 2) respire high summer temperatures... Anyone having a suggestion or comment other than the Longlongtrail or VF Eberle notes, on what I wrote above, please? All helps... sincerely, Benjamin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted Tuesday at 08:14 Share Posted Tuesday at 08:14 Try this website: https://www.estorickcollection.com/exhibitions/war-in-the-sunshine-the-british-in-italy-1917-1918 TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjamin thyla Posted Tuesday at 10:32 Author Share Posted Tuesday at 10:32 Yes, I know it. Thanks Benjamin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted Tuesday at 17:14 Share Posted Tuesday at 17:14 6 hours ago, benjamin thyla said: Yes, I know it. Thanks Benjamin Have you tried contacting the site owners just in case there is information that had not been published? TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjamin thyla Posted Tuesday at 19:56 Author Share Posted Tuesday at 19:56 Good idea, I will do that sincerely, Benjamin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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