Happy Earth Day everyone! Here's: Harry Knobel, Trout Fishing in France, June 1916, Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 3396673.

Ivor Castle, A Stretcher Case at the Battle of Arleux, 1917, private collection. This one is a bit more graphic (from a closer perspective) than a lot of Canadian official First World War photographs. The injured person is German, which by convention made it permissible to show blood.

Ivor Castle, A Stretcher Case at the Battle of Arleux, 1917, private collection. This one is a bit more graphic (from a closer perspective) than a lot of Canadian official First World War photographs. The injured person is German, which by convention made it permissible to show blood.

It was a pleasure to interview Canadian military historian Carla-Jean Stokes, a friend of mine in that community, about her book "The Taking of Vimy Ridge." Here, in a Legion Magazine exclusive, she details the story of the man who photographed the battle. legionmagazine.com/historian-ca...

Hey #skystorians, sending some feelers out - I manage a registered heritage site in BC. We are working on a Historian in Residence project: -FREE 2-3 week stay at a lakeside heritage home on 5 acres -some $$ to help with your flight -you get to write your manuscript in a peaceful setting

Hey #skystorians, sending some feelers out - I manage a registered heritage site in BC. We are working on a Historian in Residence project: -FREE 2-3 week stay at a lakeside heritage home on 5 acres -some $$ to help with your flight -you get to write your manuscript in a peaceful setting

Today is Vimy Ridge Day, a day to honour and remember the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917. In her book The Taking of Vimy Ridge, Carla-Jean Stokes explores the life and works of William Ivor Castle, a Canadian official First World War photographer known for staging and manipulating his photographs.

I had @carlajeanstokes.bsky.social on my channel to discuss this fantastic book and honestly, you need to pick it up! Watch my chat with her here: www.youtube.com/live/OZ53Ihd...

9 April marks the 109th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Here's one of my favourite photographs that Ivor Castle took that weekend - Canadian Machine Gunners Dig Themselves In, In Shell Holes, April 1917, LAC MIKAN 3521844.

Artworks on display in the Art, Film and Photography Gallery at #IWMLondon. Gassed by John Singer Sargent (1919) The Menin Road by Paul Nash (1919) Over The Top by John Nash (1918) Runway Perspective and De-Icing Aircraft by Eric Ravilious (both 1942) #wartour

Instead of doomscrolling, have you tried just ordering a Lego kit online?

Today I let my 5 yo talk me though eating an ice cream drumstick because she believed I’d never had one before. “Mom, take your first bite, and you’re going to be in love!” What a cute little turkey. Also, ‘twas delicious.

The Magic Lantern Mail Club made it to three different cities in the UK and to locations all over Canada in February! It's been a ton of fun to share a physical newsletter and pick out items from my collection to share in an analogue way.

The thing about digitizing a collection of 1920s era negatives is that... in my mind it seems easier to just set up a darkroom and print everything instead.

#BookReview: The Taking of Vimy Ridge by Carla-Jean Stokes “a penetrating look at the public perception of the battle—and, strikingly, makes the case that a single photographer played a crucial role in creating the “myth” of Vimy Ridge” thebcreview.ca/2025/11/11/2... wlupress.bsky.social

This newsreel, IWM IWM 466, Reel 3, shows a Canadian soldier chewing something before he charges out of the trenches at Courcelette. #ww1 photo expert @carlajeanstokes.bsky.social does several deep dives of the 4 "over the top" photos on her account bsky.app/profile/carl...

5 YO: Mom, I'm not that good at math. I wish I was omniscient.* Me: You sound like you're doing OK so far. 😂 *Learned this word by age 3 due to being a huge Devin Townsend fan.

William Rider-Rider, Canadians Performing their Toilet in Reserve Line, February 1918 (brrrrr!), LAC Item No. O-2531.

In February 1918, William Rider-Rider photographed Canadian soldiers with copies of the Canadian Daily Record, a newspaper issued by the Canadian War Records Office to personnel during the war. Rider-Rider, Canadians Interested in the Canadian Daily Record, Feb 1918, LAC MIKAN 3396794.

In February 1918, William Rider-Rider photographed Canadian soldiers with copies of the Canadian Daily Record, a newspaper issued by the Canadian War Records Office to personnel during the war. Rider-Rider, Canadians Interested in the Canadian Daily Record, Feb 1918, LAC MIKAN 3396794.

Ahhh, nothing like the workout your credit card gets when you have to sign your child up for Spring Break camps 😒

It’s not a stretch to say that during the First World War, the Canadian Corps established itself as the “elite fighting force of the British Empire.” It was also composed, sometimes, of dudes in dresses!

It’s not a stretch to say that during the First World War, the Canadian Corps established itself as the “elite fighting force of the British Empire.” It was also composed, sometimes, of dudes in dresses!

William Rider-Rider, A Canadian giving his pet a much-needed wash, February 1918, Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 3194334.

There is a saying: 'You can talk to a horse, but you can chat and whisper to a mule', and indeed, many men who served with mules spoke of the uniquely strong relationships they forged with the animals. 📸 Mule 99 & Pte. D. Ravensgraig, Italy, 1944 IWM NA 12495 #MuleMonday

I’ve been so busy with my big girl adult job that I haven’t had much time for historical side quests lately (or posting on here - whoops 🙈). But, I had to come on to hype up this exciting new adventure from the amazing @carlajeanstokes.bsky.social Find out how to get your #warphotos below 👇🏼

This beautiful print - from the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada collection - turns 108 this month. William Rider-Rider, Canadian buying a hat at a second-hand store near Lens, February 1918, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Museum & Archives 2018.413.2504.

My two newest First World War photographs (one by Ernest Brooks and one by Ivor Castle) have finally arrived and are now part of my collection. They'll be prints for my mail club 🤫 For now, here's a fun teaser: the digitized verso of the Castle photo & LAC digitized negative.

That would be why.

My two newest First World War photographs (one by Ernest Brooks and one by Ivor Castle) have finally arrived and are now part of my collection. They'll be prints for my mail club 🤫 For now, here's a fun teaser: the digitized verso of the Castle photo & LAC digitized negative.

In February 1919, a Canadian official photographer spent some time with the Canadian Forestry Corps. Here are the two best photographs (obviously I'm speaking objectively). They both belong to Library and Archives Canada and are MIKAN 3522528-9.

In February 1919, a Canadian official photographer spent some time with the Canadian Forestry Corps. Here are the two best photographs (obviously I'm speaking objectively). They both belong to Library and Archives Canada and are MIKAN 3522528-9.

Hey gang, don't forget: you have until February 12 to sign up if you'd like to receive some cool #warphotos stuff in your mailbox this month 🙌🏼 link is in my bio.

Original colour portrait of Lawren P. Harris serving as an official war artist. Harris was the eldest son of Group of Seven founding member Lawren Harris. Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 4232978.

Unattributed, Frank Grummett walks with sisters Cecile and Colette Watrelot in Armentieres France, undated. Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 4233257.

Unattributed, Frank Grummett walks with sisters Cecile and Colette Watrelot in Armentieres France, undated. Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 4233257.

Original colour photographs of the Vimy Memorial, dated ca. September 1944. Unfortunately, colour photographs of the Second World War taken by official photographers are often unattributed and undated. 📸: LAC MIKAN 4233735, 4233247, 4233248, 4233244, 4233731, 4233732.

Unattributed, Canadian soldiers admire the Canadian War Memorial at St. Julien, ca. 1944*, LAC MIKAN 4233269. *The date range given to this entire collection of WW2 photographs in colour is 1943-1965. Finding the midway point from 1943-1945 is our best guess.

Unattributed, Canadian soldiers admire the Canadian War Memorial at St. Julien, ca. 1944*, LAC MIKAN 4233269. *The date range given to this entire collection of WW2 photographs in colour is 1943-1965. Finding the midway point from 1943-1945 is our best guess.

This isn't an #OTD photograph, but here's a beautiful David McLellan from my own collection - 60 pounder gun of the 48th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery in action in the open near Strazeele, at full recoil, April 15, 1918.

Here's your daily source of: Carla hates colourized photographs. I've been on Facebook a lot lately, so perhaps there's a reason for this renewed annoyance 😅 Here are a few side-by-sides showing digitized prints (in their gorgeous tones with deep contrast) and digitized negatives.

Unattributed press agency photographer, Canadian dispatch riders prepare to set out on a training ride across Salisbury Plain on their Douglas 2.75 horse-power motorcycles (and then seen riding on a muddy track), 28 January 1915, Imperial War Museum Q 53577-Q 53568.

Today's status: am writing. Actually don't know how long it's been since I could say that.

Unattributed press agency photographer, Canadian dispatch riders prepare to set out on a training ride across Salisbury Plain on their Douglas 2.75 horse-power motorcycles (and then seen riding on a muddy track), 28 January 1915, Imperial War Museum Q 53577-Q 53568.

Unattributed*, Nurses of the No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, January 1919, Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 3395910.

For #HolocaustRemembranceDay2025 let's take a look at the incredibly brave actions of Henryk Ross (1910-1991), who was appointed as the official photographer for the Lodz Ghetto's Department of Statistics from 1940 to 1944 👇

Unattributed*, Nurses of the No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, January 1919, Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 3395910.

That’s my weekend reading sorted -

On 23 January 1918, British official photographer David McLellan created a series of images showing German POWs at work at a saw mill at Lyons-la-Forêt. Photographs belong to the Imperial War Museums, Q 10199 & 10220.

William Rider-Rider, Four prisoners captured by Canadians during a raid, January 1918, Library and Archives MIKAN 3403148.