"That was what the camaraderie was like."

[Subdeacon Joe]

German soldiers wearing rare Hessian helmet covers posing for a photograph in a trench, October 1917.
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Colourised by Zeemering historic photo colourisation and restoration 
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The following is Danish-German soldier Peter Rossen's diary entry from the front at Berry-au-Bac, reporting on an incident while fetching water from a pump in April 1916. Translated by myself:
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"I went home on leave in April 1916 for Easter, the only holiday I spent at home in those 4,5 years. We were taking turns to fetch water for the field kitchen, and on the evening I was going home, it was my turn to do it. This evening the shelling was particularly hefty.
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We fetched the water by a farm which was blown to ruins. Here was a small pump, but it took a long time to fill the bucket. It was uncomfortable that the farm was shelled at intervals.
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We were to get to the pump in between the shellings. I had been jumping back and forth between cover and pump a few times already, and on this evening they fired more than usual.
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A comrade from Mecklenburg approached me and said: "I'll take over for you now, because you have a family at home who awaits you. I'm alone and no one would mourn for me."
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I had once written an application for leave for him and it had been accepted; now he wanted to repay the favour.
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That was what the camaraderie was like."
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#worldwar1 #wwi #ww1 #firstworldwar #worldwarone #thegreatwar #history #militaryhistory #ww2 #wwii #worldwar2 #worldwarii

 

[Rip Snorter]

Kameradschaft 

[Pat Riot]

And shortly after this photo was taken the gent on the left burst into flames because his cigar ignited his wool jacket pocket flap. 

[watab kid]

pa6t - until you mentioned that - and i went back to look - i missed that , i like that guy more now ............i like cigars , and that actually looks like a decent one , my question would be how do i get a good supply of them into the trenches of 1917 ? 

[Texas Joker]

A: that's the kind of guy you want as a buddy. Knows how to scrounge.

2: wool scorches and wrinkles up like eyebrows. Doesn't burn.  One of the reasons I prefer wool blankets for my bedroll next to the fire.  

[Texas Lizard]

Love the cookie duster on the guy on the right....

 

Texas Lizard