'Working 18 pounder gun and setting fuse', 1916 (c)

Lantern slide, World War One, Western Front (1914-1918), 1916 (c).

Introduced in 1904 as a result of deliberations by the Royal Artillery following the Boer War (1899-1902), the 18-pounder was a heavier version of the 13 pounder Horse Artillery weapon. Over 1,000 had been made by the start of World War One where it was seen as the most effective light field gun. Over 8,000 were eventually manufactured during the war and between them fired 100 million shells. With a crew of ten men, it could fire 18-pound shrapnel, high explosive or smoke shells up to six kilometres (over 6,500 yards).

From a box of 50 lantern slides.