This lantern slide, “Caterpillar Drawing Guns,” shows an army transporting guns during World War I. The caption on the slide reads, “W Framerville Caterpillar drawing guns.” This scene appears to have taken place in Framerville-Rainecourt, a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France. The group may have been traveling west, to nearby places such as Villers-Bretonneux, Amiens, or Harbonnieres, where several significant battles were fought.
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Publisher:
Springfield College
Notes:
In this case, “caterpillar” refers to the elongated, textured wheel (known as caterpillar tracks, tank treads, or continuous tracks and invented in 1770) seen on the artillery tractor, which allows the easy crossing of difficult land. In some cases, the artillery tractor was built from a modified tank chassis with the superstructure replaced with a compartment for the gun crew or ammunition. These machines allowed armies to supplement light-weight horse-drawn field guns with heavier weaponry. This slide is part of a collection of lantern slides depicting scenes of Australian YMCA war work during World War I.
Some discoloration in center; Text on border reads, "W Framerville Caterpillar drawing guns; Australian Y.M.C.A. Historical Record Section."
Part of the Australian Y.M.C.A. WWI Lantern Slide Series
