Stretcher Bearers! - Soldiers of the Great War

While studying the photographic archive of physician Max Lumière, his eye was drawn to a group of men — stretcher bearers — who appeared in some of the images. His research led him to consult the writings of several front-line doctors in order to understand the living and working conditions of Max Lumière, and he noted that they mention these men regularly and sometimes speak of them with admiration. Intrigued, he wanted to learn more about these soldiers, whose role in the conflict he sensed had been considerable — a role he had until then only touched upon. Focusing his attention on them, he was struck by the number of references to their presence within the writings of fighting men. Whether despised or envied, belittled or honoured, in a few pages, a few lines or a few words, their more or less discreet presence remains a constant. The daily tragedies of the conflict made their tasks indispensable; they were part of everyday life at the front, and their presence became almost unremarkable to the men of the trenches. He chose to focus essentially on the stretcher bearers who worked in the trenches — those encountered daily by the soldiers holding the line.

This work is illustrated with 80 period photographs.

Contents: