second battle of ypres

1989Who was known to have taken illegal photographs capturing front line experiences during the Great War?

Brenton Harold "Jack" Turner of Prince Edward Island, Canada, was one of the few who secretly photographed daily life and combat on the Western Front during the First World War, in direct defiance of military bans. Turner's surreptitious collection of 99 images, captured with a smuggled German-made camera, offers a rare and personal glimpse into a soldier’s experience away from the official lens. Ingeniously modifying his uniform to conceal his camera, Turner developed his photos in battlefield cellars, preserving moments that would have otherwise been lost to history. Today, his unique legacy lives on through exhibitions, like the 2015 "Snapshots of Armageddon" in Charlottetown, and his century-long life serves as a testament to the enduring power of personal perspective in the record of war.

1915What inspired the most beloved and famous of all war poems?

At a front line dressing station near Ypres, Belgium, Canadian Army doctor Major John McCrae penned the enduring war poem "In Flanders Fields" on 3 May 1915. Written in the immediate aftermath of the Second Battle of Ypres, as deadly chlorine gas and relentless artillery claimed thousands of lives, the poem gave voice to the grief and resilience felt by soldiers and medics alike. Inspired by the death of his friend Lieutenant Alexis Helmer and the sight of wild poppies blooming among war graves, McCrae composed the fifteen lines in just twenty minutes while perched on an ambulance tailgate. Although nearly discarded by its creator, "In Flanders Fields" quickly became a powerful symbol of remembrance for generations to come, immortalizing both the sacrifices of war and the enduring image of the poppy.