German prisoners in a holding camp at Wanquetin, 1917

Lantern slide, World War One, Western Front (1914-1918), 1917.

These prisoners were captured during the Battle of Arras (9 April-16 May 1917). After a huge artillery bombardment, elements of the First, Third and Fifth armies advanced up to eight kilometres (five miles) before their assault was halted. Although they made some important gains, including Vimy Ridge, their offensive suffered some of the highest casualty rates sustained by an attacking force during the entire war.

From a box of 72 lantern slides.