Week 3: Challenge – Image Virus UPDATE

My decision here was to reinterpret the challenge and use the ‘power of the Internet’ to identify a series of negatives that have been in my possession for a number of years.

As I only have a 35mm negative scanner and these were Kodak 116 negatives (frame size: 65 x 110 mm), I had to enlist my Father’s help: he has a scanner capable of handling large format negatives.

On Thursday 08 November,  I used Facebook to publish a public post relating to the negatives, requesting help in identifying the locations, Regiment, date, etc.. LINK

Quite quickly suggestions came in postulating that images related to either the Mesopotamia Campaign or the North West Frontier.

In a second batch of images emailed from my Father, I was able to carry out a reverse image search on an iconic building, promptly revealed as the remains of Taq Kasra – the Arch of Ctesiphon, 35km south east of Baghdad.  This confirmed that (at least some of) the images related to the Mesopotamia Campaign.

It is currently looking most likely that the military manoeuvres are preparations for the Battle of Ctesiphon, including the construction of a bridge over the River Tigris.  The confusing appearance of Indian’s is explained because the major part of the ‘British’ force in the campaign was taken by soldiers from Indian Expeditionary Force D.

It would seem that I can state the following with some certainty:

• Location –  Ctesiphon, Iraq.
• Date – Late 1915
• Regiment – Indian Expeditionary Force D

These results look quite promising and in a short period of time.  However, I do still require verification and may seek this from the Imperial War Museum.  I would love to find out who was taking the photographs and for what purpose-are these simply ‘holiday’ snaps, or were they for a more practical purpose?