Members of an Indian Labour Battalion reading papers during a work break, 1917 (c)

Photograph, World War One, Western Front (1914-1918), 1917 (c).

The shortage of manpower for labouring work on the Western Front was filled by importing men from China, India, Burma, South Africa, Egypt and other places within the British Empire. By the end of the war around 194,000 men were engaged in France and Flanders as labourers.

From a collection of official photographs.