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Life In 1914 - 1915.

A truly wonderful collection, Ernie. Further to our conversation earlier this evening and with regard to the second picture in Post #4, the translator hasn't bothered to render the French word "mitrailleuse" into English. I think I can help because the equivalent in Italian is "mitragliatrice", which, as we said during our call, is "machine gun" in English.
In the third photograph in Post #2, did you spot the interesting plural of "German" utilised by the translator - "Germen"! Brilliant!! David
PS Our site's ABC spelling corrector didn't pick up the invented plural!!?! D.
 
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Here in Flanders we use a lot of French words, Belgium is bi-lingual, and we call a machine gun 'mitrallier' but in French a mitrallieur is a machine gunner and a mitrallieuse is a female machine gunner.

Graham.
 
I'm sorry, Cadeau, but I can't make your female machine gunner out in Photo 2, Post #4, unless of course the French used Joan-of-Arc tactics and disguised their lady fighters with moustaches. David
 
Great stuff Ernie,

I told you our members would love them and I do.

Well done and thanks a lot.:)
 
Yes David I too can see that it's a man, it seems to me that the writer of the text wasn't very fluent in French as a male machine gunner is to this day a mitralleur.:)
 
Ernie,
Argonne is an area in the north-east of France. Clermont-en-Argonne is a small village in Argonne about 60 miles south-west of Luxembourg. David
 
I am so very pleased that those photographs have created some interest. Any photograph that is old brings the past back to life again.
It makes me wonder wether they ever used the term " Barbed Wire " as it says " Bearded Iron Wires " on Pic 7.
I wonder if it was a french term ?
Yes David I missed the word " Germen. "
 
magnificent collection ernie...ww2 was bad enough but the great war must have been so awful..thanks for taking the time to post them...

cheers

lyn:)
 
Magnificent photographs, I have just obtained my grand-fathers' WW1 service record, both he and two of my great- uncles served in France, it must have been quite horrific to say the least. In my grandfathers record it states that he was a groom, does that mean he was non-combattant?
 
What an amazing link, Cadeau. It makes fascinating reading. A great find! I should be reading my daughters a story but the development of "bearded iron wires" (Post #3, second picture) is distractingly interesting. Thank you.
And to think that there's a whole museum dedicated to barbed wire is mind boggling! Did you notice it's in Amarillo, of the old Rolling Stones' (and many other artists') classic "Route 66" fame? David
 
What an amazing link, Cadeau. It makes fascinating reading. A great find! I should be reading my daughters a story but the development of "bearded iron wires" (Post #3, second picture) is distractingly interesting. Thank you.
And to think that there's a whole museum dedicated to barbed wire is mind boggling! Did you notice it's in Amarillo, of the old Rolling Stones' (and many other artists') classic "Route 66" fame? David

David, glad that you found the link useful.

A bit naughty as it's off thread; I had an ambition to ride Route 66 this year in my blue 1966 MGB as I'm 66 this year! But with so many 6's that might be tempting fate, don't you think?:)
 
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