Researchers issue fresh appeal to identify WWI troops pictured amid Battle of the Somme

It was in the midst of the horror of the trenches that they stopped and put on a brave face for their families.

During the three-month Battle of the Somme in 1916, thousands of British, Australian and French soldiers posed for photos that were later sent home.

The 4,000 glass plate negatives of largely unidentified troops from the Western Front were discovered in 2010 in an attic in a farmhouse in northern France, by author Ross Caulthart and military historian Peter Burness.

With only a fraction of World War I troops identified, researchers are calling on the public and potential family members to help put names to their faces.

About 250 of the 800 Australian soldiers have been identified in Australia, but in Britain historians have been able to trace only 100 of the 1,500 Britons pictured in the photo.

The statues were made by the French couple Louis and Antoinette Thuillier, who lived in the village of Vignaport. Their photographs now form the so-called Thuillier Collection.

Vignaport, just 30 miles from the front lines, acted as a staging post, where soldiers could rest and prepare for battle.

At least 420,000 British men were killed on the Somme over several months, along with 195,000 French troops and 450,000 Germans.

On the first day of the battle, the British army lost 20,000 men and another 40,000 were wounded.

The 4,000 glass plate negatives of largely unidentified troops from the Western Front were discovered in 2010 in an attic in a farmhouse in northern France, by author Ross Caulthart and military historian Peter Burness. Above: These three soldiers of an unidentified regiment are among those who appear in the photos

Friendly comrades pose together on a straw bed while a sign announces: ‘We are seven’. The image is one of thousands created by the French couple Louis and Antoinette Thuillier

The Thuilliers came up with the idea of ​​charging a small fee for portraits of soldiers’ mages while trying to capitalize on the hive of activity that Vignaport became during the war.

Their images were printed on postcards, allowing soldiers to maintain a fragile bond with soldiers at home.

The images show what military life was like for the troops, as well as some of the friendships and bonds formed between the soldiers and civilians.

Some of the statues have been in a museum in the former Thuilliers farm since 2018.

Alice Orzechowski, deputy director of the Vignacourt 14-18 museum, told The Times that it is “more difficult” to identify British men because of the “limited access” to archives and the fact that it costs money.

She called for help, calling on researchers and ordinary Britons alike to help “join this investigative adventure.”

Some photos date from the 1916 offensive, others were taken in 1917 and 1918.

It was in Vignacourt that the local couple, Louis and Antoinette Thuillier (pictured right), came up with the idea of ​​taking portrait photos of soldiers passing through the city to send home to their concerned families. Top left: Two British troops pose together for a photo

For much of the First World War, the small French village of Vignacourt was always behind the front lines – serving as a staging post, casualty clearance post and recreation area for troops of all nationalities marching up and down the battlefields of the Somme. Above: Another soldier poses with a dog

Boys only themselves: some images show how young many of the soldiers who fought were. The two men mentioned above are among the 1,400 who have not been identified

Signs of Struggle: A young man is seen with his hand in a sling after being wounded at the front, while another man betrays the look of one who has seen the horror of war firsthand

The Thuilliers came up with the idea of ​​charging a small fee for portraits of soldiers’ mages while trying to capitalize on the hive of activity that Vignaport became during the war. Above: Two unidentified Britons pose for photos

The never-before-seen images of troops from the Western Front were discovered nearly a century after they were taken after hiding in an attic in a farmhouse in northern France. Above: A soldier poses on a motorcycle while a comrade stands with a pipe in his hand

In Mr. Coulthart’s 2016 book, The Lost Tommies, some were first featured. The original glass plate negatives were purchased by Australian businessman Kerry Stokes.

The plates of British, American, French African, Nepalese and Indian soldiers are housed in Mr Stokes’ museum, the Stokes Collection.

Coulthart told The Times that he had not been able to find any British museums willing to preserve, restore and digitize the images of British men.

He claimed his questions when visiting museums in the UK were answered with ‘disinterest and futility’

Battle of the Somme: one of the deadliest battles in history

The Battle of the Somme, which lasted 141 days, was the bloodiest battle of the First World War.

The British suffered 420,000 casualties, including 125,000 dead, in the intense fighting. Another 200,000 French troops and 500,000 Germans were killed or wounded in action.

An estimated 24,000 Canadian and 23,000 Australian soldiers also fell in the four-month battle.

A British soldier watches over No Man’s Land while his comrades sleep during the Battle of the Somme in 1916

The British and French joined forces to fight the Germans on a 15-mile front that left more than a million dead or wounded on both sides.

The battle began on July 1, 1916 and lasted until November 19, 1916. The British managed to advance seven miles, but failed to break through the German defences.

On the first day alone, 19,240 British soldiers were killed after going ‘over the top’ and more than 38,000 were injured.

But on the last day of the battle, the 51st Highland Division captured Beaumont Hamel and captured 7,000 German prisoners.

The plan was for a ‘Big Push’ to relieve the French troops, who were besieged further south at Verdun, and to break through the German lines.

Although it took the pressure off Verdun, it did not bring about a breakthrough and the war dragged on for another two years.