The First World War saw the widespread adoption of aerial photography to record vital tactical information, such as troop movements, gun emplacements and topography. Here an exploding ammunition dump near Bray in France is sending fireworks several thousand feet into the sky.In the top right of the frame there are some coordinates.bray, france, aerial view, ww1, world war 1, 1917

world war 1, anzac, ww1, soldiers, australian, military, camp, diner

Les Chandler. Pacifist who was a stretcher bearer on the Western Front. les chandler, pacifist, stretcher bearer, aif, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1

A newly enlisted Les Chandler of Malvern, Melbourne in 1915. Initially 27 years old Chandler joined the light Horse, Hence the leather leggings.les chandler, melbourne, malvern, 1915, light horse, ww1, aif, a.i.f, world war 1

Washing. Seymour training camp.ww1, seymour, seymour army camp, training camp, washing, world war 1, aif, a.i.f

Training camp at Seymour.medical vehicle, seymour army camp, training camp, ww1, world war 1, aif, a.i.f

At Seymour training camp.seymour army camp, training camp, camp, ww1, aif, a.i.f, world war 1

world war 1, anzac, ww1, soldiers, australian, camp, tents, desert

Chandler was always going on nature walks. If he had time off, he would go off and walk into a wood or go and look for bird's nests or chasing butterflies and insects or whatever because he was interested in the whole of nature. nature walk, aif, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1, colour

In Egypt.colour photoegypt, aif, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1, rickshaw

Les Chandler was always going on nature walks. If he had time off, he would go off and walk into a wood or go and look for bird's nests or chasing butterflies and insects or whatever because he was interested in the whole of nature. hand coloured photofishing, hand coloured, ww1, world war 1, aif, a.i.f

On the Western Front.ww1, western front, world war 1

A self-portrait, hand-coloured, of 9886 Private Les Chandler in France in 1916. For many Australians the arrival of snow was initially a great novelty. The appeal quickly wore off. The European winter of 1916. The coldest in decades caused further misery for front line troops. hand coloured photoles chandler, 1916, winter, hand-coloured, ww1, aif, a.i.f, world war 1

Les Chandler.ww1, world war 1, aif, a.i.f

Les Chandler was an avid bird watcher and naturalist who taught himself every aspect of photography so he could capture his obsession. les chandler, aif, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1

Les Chandler and mates.les chandler, camp, aif, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1, resting

Les Chandler.les chandler, aif, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1

At Seymour training camp.seymour army camp, training camp, aif, washing, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1

world war 1, anzac, ww1, soldiers, australian, country, man, woman, notebook

world war 1, anzac, ww1, soldiers, australian, desert, camp, tents

Seymour training camp.seymour army camp, seymour, training camp, aif, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1

Seymour training camp.seymour army camp, seymour, training camp, aif, a.i.f, ww1, world war 1

Training camp in Seymour.seymour army camp, seymour, training camp, ww1, world war 1, aif, a.i.f

At training camp in Seymour. seymour army camp, seymour, training camp, ww1, aif, a.i.f, washing

Straw effigies of the enemy strung up at Seymour Army Camp for use in bayonet drill. It was this sight and the compulsory instruction in the art of killing other men that so repulsed Les Chandler that he requested a transfer to an ambulance unit where he sought to save lives rather than take them. photoseymour army camp, seymour, target range, target dummies, ww1, world war 1, aif, a.i.f

world war 1, anzac, ww1, soldiers, australian, uniform

world war 1, anzac, ww1, soldiers, australian, middle-east, orient,shoe shine, young, boy

Western Front.western front, ww1, world war 1, trench, bunker

On the duck boards on the Western Front.photoduck boards, western front, ww1, world war 1, aif, a.i.f

A once grand French Chateau almost obliterated by artillery fire. Despite extensive frontline service this is one of the few instances where Les Chandler took a photograph of the destruction of war. In the several hundred letters he wrote to his family at home in Australia, he stuck to his vow of almost never mentioning the horrors of war.france, chateau, destroyed, ww1, world war 1