ABSTRACT
The First World War left behind a detailed illustrated history in the form of photography, art illustrations, and even adverts created by those based at the front lines, in supply camps, or in offices in London and colonial territories. This chapter considers the production of these visual materials, particularly why they were produced and how they circulated. It looks at material from across the Dominion territories of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, with particular attention paid to Canada. During the war, Lord Beaverbrook, a Canadian businessman, drove a successful campaign to promote and memorialize the work of Canadian troops through the actions of the Canadian War Records Office (CWRO). Using various visual methods, including photography, the CWRO created a visual commemoration of Canadian troops at war that would become the inspiration and envy of other colonial, and even British, commanders. This chapter reflects on how photography, print, exhibitions, and even the memory institutions of Empire were used to develop a coherent message about Dominion troops in the First World War.
