Tuesday, October 20, 2009

World War 1, The Argonne













Again, I think these images are rotogravures. I have a pretty good background in conventional photography and can id anything from a daguerreotype to a modern digital print, but obsolete commercial printing ...a bit beyond me. The caption for the image with the shot up helmet, "How the Argonne was won. Like their Indian fighting ancestors the Americans fought from behind trees and bushes, digging a "fox hole" for cover whenever they paused. This photograph was taken by a Signal Corps operator during the advance of the 18th Inf., 1st Div., up the slopes of Hill 240, near Exermont, Oct. 11, 19198. These soldiers fought their way to the top in the face of heavy machine gun fire and drove the enemy from the position. The bullet-torn helmet in the foreground tells the story of a "buddy" who lies "over yonder." The men in the brush, "Hill 240, scene of desperate fighting." The guys with the machine gun, "Machine gunners, 1st Div., in action near Exermont. Oct. 4, 1918." The one with the tank, "Tank and supply wagon blown up north of Fleville." And the one with the wagons on the town street, "Artillery of the 1st Div. entering Fleville. Oct. 12." Not the signal corps. logos.

No comments:

Post a Comment