Summary

Black and white photographic print which depicts the partially destroyed Basilica of Note-Dame de Brebieres in Albert. In January 1915 the statue positioned on top of the Basilica of the Virgin Mary and her child, also known as the 'Golden Virgin', was hit by a German shell. The statue did not fall off the steeple at this point but remained hanging at a right angle up until the almost complete demolition of the building in April 1918. A number of legends developed amongst the thousands of soldiers who passed through Albert around the 'Leaning Virgin' including the myth that whichever side caused the statue to fall, would lose the war. The German army recaptured the town of Albert in March 1918. To prevent the Germans from using the Basilica as an observation post the British Army bombarded it with artillery where upon the statue finally fell. The remains of the statue were irrecoverable amongst the debris.

It is one of 95 black and white, and, sepia toned photographs taken in France during World War I, attached to a photograph album. The album includes a few photographs of enemy prisoners, the war cemetery at Warloy, a wrecked German ambulance and images of the local French people.

Most photographs are of Albert and surrounds so it would seem probable that most were taken during and after the Battle of the Somme (1916). In addition there are also photographs dated 1917. The photographs were taken by Private John Edward Lord, 13th Field Ambulance, and brought back to Australia by him and compiled in an album at the end of the First World War.

The album is one of many souvenirs brought back to Australia after World War I by Lord, and is part of a larger collection of photograph albums, images, documents and World War I memorabilia donated by Lord to Museum Victoria.

Description of Content

The image appears to be taken from a moving vehicle so it is rather blurry. The photograph focuses on the partially destroyed Basilica of Notre-Dame de Brebières. The Virgin Mary statue on top of the steeple is visibly only just staying attached. There is a lot of rubble and debris lying around the base of the Church.

Physical Description

Monochrome photograph, mounted in a small, grey photograph album.

Significance

This album appears to have been prepared to 'showcase' the war experiences of John Lord and the photographs associated with these. The album has been very carefully prepared and the quality of the photographs is generally good, in comparison to the album ST40491, also compiled by John Lord, which has a number of photographs which are of poor quality, many photographs removed and written in (mostly) illegible pencil. This suggests this album was most probably compiled after the war, with photographs probably gathered from other photograph albums of Lord's.

The subjects of the photographs are of trenches (both German and Allies), horses, camps, farms, graves and cemeteries, civilians, soldiers, churches and other buildings. Many of the photographs were taken around the town of Albert and are dated 1916 and 1917. From this information we can tell that Lord was involved with the Battle of the Somme when these photographs were taken.

The Battle of the Somme was fought from north of the Somme river between the towns of Albert and Arras. The Battle began on the 1 July and was called off on the 18 November 1916. The Battle of the Somme is famous for the loss of 58,000 British troops (one third of them killed) on the first day of the battle, 1 July 1916, which to this day remains a one-day record.

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