British Expeditionary Force Collection

Poster advertising OXO from World War I (litho) by Frank Dadd (1851-1929)- Soldier writing a thank you letter to home. © TopFoto

Our Little Contemptibles, 1914 (oil on canvas)
2975397 Our A Little ContemptiblesA, 1914 (oil on canvas) by Wollen, William Barnes (1857-1936); National Army Museum, London; (add.info.: Composed of regular soldiers and reservists)

A Heroic Deed of the Royal Horse Artillery Near Compiegne, (1919). Creator: Unknown
A Heroic Deed of the Royal Horse Artillery Near Compiegne, (1919). Scene from the First World War: at the Battle of Nery in September 1914, the British 1st Cavalry Brigade and L Battery

King Geo. views Peronne, 13 Jul 1917. Creator: Bain News Service
King Geo. views Peronne, 13 Jul 1917. King George V, Edward, Prince of Wales, and Gen. Julian Byng visiting the ruins of Peronne, France during World War I

Gen. Sir J. French in Paris, between c1914 and c1915. Creator: Bain News Service
Gen. Sir J. French in Paris, between c1914 and c1915. British officer John Denton Pinkstone French (1852-1925), who served as the first Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force during

Gen. Sir John French in Paris, between c1914 and c1915. Creator: Bain News Service
Gen. Sir John French in Paris, between c1914 and c1915. British officer John Denton Pinkstone French, (1852-1925), who served as the the first Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force

Wounded heroes of the Battle of Mons, 1914. Creator: Bain News Service
Wounded heroes of the Battle of Mons, 1914. A woman with soldiers who were wounded in the Battle of Mons which took place on August 23, 1914 in France during World War I

Le jour de gloire; les deux cents drapeaux des regiments britanniques traversant la place... 1919. Creator: Unknown
Le jour de gloire; les deux cents drapeaux des regiments britanniques traversant la place de l'Opera, 1919. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919, Volume 2" [L'Illustration

Le jour de gloire; le marechal Sir Douglas Haig, 1919. Creator: Unknown
Le jour de gloire; le marechal Sir Douglas Haig, 1919. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919, Volume 2" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1924]

L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. Creator: Unknown
L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. Creator: Unknown
L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. Creator: Unknown
L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. Creator: Unknown
L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. Creator: Unknown
L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. Creator: Unknown
L'effort de l'Angleterre, 1915. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

L'Armee Britannique; Rouen est, en France, la premiere base de l'armee Britannique, 1914. Creator: Unknown
L'Armee Britannique; Rouen est, en France, la premiere base de l'armee Britannique et restera une de ses bases principales

La cooperation Britannique, 1914. Creator: Unknown
La cooperation Britannique; Le 4 aout l'Angleterre a mis l'allemagne en demeure de respecter la neutralite belge et de fournir "une reponse satisfaisante" avant minuit, 1914

L'Armee Britannique; L'Angleterre met d'a bord en ligne trois divisions, 1914. Creator: Unknown
L'Armee Britannique; L'Angleterre met d'a bord en ligne trois divisions d'un effectif total de 70, 000 hommes, 1914

Sir John French; Commandant en chef de l'armee Britannique, 1914. Creator: Unknown
Sir John French; Commandant en chef de l'armee Britannique, 1914. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919, Volume I" [L'Illustration, Paris, 1924]

La Bataille des Flandres; Le 11 novembre, le 1er corps anglais, commande par Douglas Haig, 1914 Creator: Unknown
La Bataille des Flanders; Le 11 novembre, le 1er corps anglais, commande par Douglas Haig, reffoule le Garde prussienne devant Ypres, 1914

L'Armee Britannique; sur nos routes de France, 1914. Creator: Unknown
L'Armee Britannique; sur nos routes de France, les habitantes des campagnes apportent des rafraichissements et des fleurs a ceux qui viennent lutter aupres des notres, 1914

La supreme defense d'Anvers; Derniere ligne de retranchements, sur la route de Lierre, 1914. Creator: Unknown
La supreme defense d'Anvers; Derniere ligne de retranchements, sur la route de Lierre, des brigades navales anglaises envoyees au secours d'Anvers, 1914

La Bataille des Flandres; les "London Scottish" se reforment sous le feu, 1914. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I". [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

L'Armee Britannique; Le defile de artillerie dans les rues de Rouen, 1914. Creator: Unknown
L'Armee Britannique; Le defile de artillerie dans les rues de Rouen provoque, de la part de la population, des manifestations chaleureuses, 1914

La Bataille des Flandres; Un projectile a eclate dans la boue sans blesser personne, 1914. Creator: Arthur C Michael
La Bataille des Flandres; Un projectile a eclate dans la boue sans blesser personne, 1914. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I". [L'Illustration, Paris, 1926]

L'Armee Britannique; Le long des rives de la Seine, que les transports Anglais remontent, 1914. Creator: Unknown
L'Armee Britannique; Le long des rives de la Seine, que les transports Anglais remontent jusqu'a Rouen, la foule salue les arrivants, 1914

La cooperation Britannique; Le general en chef de l'armee britannique salue par les marins, 1914 Creator: Unknown
La cooperation Britannique; Le general en chef de l'armee britannique salue par les marins et les ouvriers du port, 1914

L'Armee Britannique; Les premiers elements Britanniques qui penetrerent en Belgique, 1914. Creator: Unknown
L'Armee Britannique; Les premiers elements Britanniques qui penetrerent en Belgique y rencontrerent leurs camarades de France qui y avaient precedes, 1914

La cooperation Britannique; Le general French et son etat-major arrivent a Boulogne, 1914. Creator: Unknown
La cooperation Britannique; Le general French et son etat-major arrivent a Boulogne a bord du "Sentinel", 1914. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919

La supreme defense d'Anvers; Des maisons de Lierre brulent, 1914. Creator: Unknown
La supreme defense d'Anvers; Des maisons de Lierre brulent. Le pont sur la riviere Nethe est coupe, 1914. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I"

La supreme defense d'Anvers; Les pieces de cotes anglaises repondent aux mortiers allemands, 1914 Creator: Unknown
La supreme defense d'Anvers; Les pieces de cotes anglaises repondent aux gros mortiers allemands, 1914. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I"

De la Woevre aux Flandres; En Belgique: des cavaliers anglais demontes, 1914. Creator: Unknown
De la Woevre aux Flandres; En Belgique: des cavaliers anglais demontes soutiennent contre l'ennemi un combat nocturne de rues, 1914. From "L'Album de la Guerre 1914-1919: Volume I"

Aise et securite chez nos allies Britanniques; Le confort chez nos allies, 191 Creator: Unknown
Aise et securite chez nos allies Britanniques; Le confort chez nos allies: officiers d'une batterie anglaise d'autocanons se reposants sur des fauteuils rembourres

A contingent of Cypriot Muleteers which recently landed in France have now taken up the duties with the B.E.F. with their mules. They are engaged in carrying stores, etc. for various units

Second World War Veterans, (from left) Albert Dunn, George Russell, Bill Harrison, Gilbert Pearson, Alf Welch and James Connelly

The Royal Army Medical Corps at Monchy dressing station, France, World War I, 1914-1918. Members of the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) attending to wounded coming down the line

Panoramic view of the battlefield of the Somme, France, World War I, 1916 (colour litho)
6000446 Panoramic view of the battlefield of the Somme, France, World War I, 1916 (colour litho) by Bombled, Louis Charles (1862-1927) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Field Marshal Douglas Haig (colour litho)
3103951 Field Marshal Douglas Haig (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Field Marshal Douglas Haig)

British troops evacuated from Dunkirk arriving back in England, World War II, May-June 1940 (b / w photo)
6015317 British troops evacuated from Dunkirk arriving back in England, World War II, May-June 1940 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force wading out to a waiting ship during the Dunkirk evacuation, World War II
6015313 Soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force wading out to a waiting ship during the Dunkirk evacuation, World War II, May-June 1940 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief British Forces on Western Front
700897 Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief British Forces on Western Front, 1915-18 (b/w photo) by Brooks, Ernest (1878-1941); Private Collection; (add.info)

Field-Marshal Sir John French, illustration from Told in the Huts
STC308706 Field-Marshal Sir John French, illustration from Told in the Huts: The YMCA Gift Book, published 1916 (colour litho) by Cuneo

A street in Loos, France (b / w photo)
3104534 A street in Loos, France (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A street in Loos, France)

A detachment of British troops who have just detrained at a French railway station
HJA360618 A detachment of British troops who have just detrained at a French railway station, from The Illustrated War News, published 8th November 1939 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

"War in the North": London buses of the British Expeditionary Force in
KDC386066 " War in the North" : London buses of the British Expeditionary Force in the main square at Bethune in 1915 (photolitho) (b/w photo) by French School

Soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force crossing the English Channel to France, World War II, 1939 (b / w photo)
6015335 Soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force crossing the English Channel to France, World War II, 1939 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk, France, World War II, 26 May - 4 June 1940 (b / w photo)
6014648 Evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk, France, World War II, 26 May - 4 June 1940 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

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The British Expeditionary Force, also known as "Our Little Contemptibles, " played a significant role in both World War I and World War II. From the iconic painting "1914" depicting soldiers marching with determination to the poster advertising OXO during WWI, these images capture the spirit and resilience of the brave men who served. One such heroic deed is immortalized in the painting "A Heroic Deed of the Royal Horse Artillery Near Compiegne. " Though its creator remains unknown, it showcases the bravery and valor displayed by these soldiers on the battlefield. In later years, we see Second World War veterans like Albert Dunn, George Russell, and Bill Harrison proudly standing together. Their sacrifice and dedication are evident in their eyes as they reflect on their service. The panoramic view of the Somme battlefield reminds us of the horrors faced by British troops during WWI. The vivid colors bring to life this devastating chapter in history that claimed countless lives but ultimately led to victory. Field Marshal Douglas Haig stands tall in a lithograph portrait. As Commander-in-Chief of British Forces on Western Front during WWI, his leadership was instrumental in shaping military strategy. The evacuation from Dunkirk holds a special place in our collective memory. The black-and-white photographs depict both chaos and hope as British troops arrive back home after surviving against all odds. Another powerful image shows soldiers wading out to waiting ships during the Dunkirk evacuation. This moment captures not only their physical strength but also their unwavering determination to protect their homeland at any cost. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig's presence looms large once again through another lithograph portrait. His strategic brilliance guided British forces throughout WWI, leaving an indelible mark on history. Illustrations featuring Field-Marshal Sir John French from "Told in Huts" remind us of his important role as one of Britain's top military leaders during WWI. His leadership and decision-making skills were crucial in shaping the outcome of the war.