Women's photos from World War One frontline on show in Bishop Auckland

  • Published
Mairi Chisholm photograph of Irene 'Winkie' Gartside-Spaight in No Man's Land in 1916Image source, National Library of Scotland
Image caption,

Irene "Winkie" Gartside-Spaight in No Man's Land in 1916: Mairi Chisholm

Rarely-seen photographs taken by women on the frontline of World War One have gone under the spotlight.

"No Man's Land" showcases images by women who worked as nurses, drivers and photographers - often under fire.

Contemporary photographer Alison Baskerville, whose work is also included, said the images were "raw and powerful".

She described the World War One photographers as "inspiring and fascinating".

Image source, Olive Edis/IWM
Image caption,

A photograph by official war photographer Olive Edis in Abbeville, France, in 1919

The show features the work of Olive Edis, thought to be the UK's first female official war photographer sent to a war zone.

She took her large studio camera on the road, often developing plates in makeshift darkrooms in hospital x-ray units.

The work of Mairi Chisholm is also highlighted at the exhibition.

Ms Chisholm, a motorcyclist turned ambulance driver, used snapshot cameras to record life under fire in Belgium, just yards from the trenches.

Ms Baskerville said: "Despite the distance of 100 years, their images are still so raw and powerful.

"As someone who has served in Afghanistan, I recognise the challenges of being a woman in a war zone, and the importance of sharing that story."

The exhibition, at Bishop Auckland Town Hall, runs until 6 April.

Image source, Florence Farmborough/IWM
Image caption,

Florence Farmborough’s photograph of a dead Russian soldier in 1916 showed the full horror of war

Image source, IWM
Image caption,

Ms Farmborough, who worked with the Russian Red Cross, took this image of Russian Cossack troops

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.