The FIRST World War in colour: Photos taken using pioneering technology

Black-and-white photographs from the First World War are not hard to come by, but far less familiar are the colour images from the time.

‘The First World War in Colour’ contains more than 320 colour photos brought together from archives in Europe, the United States and Australia.

They were taken by a small band of photographers at the time who were pioneering autochrome technology when the war began.

The process of taking colour photos back in 1914 required quite a long exposure time, so almost every picture shows carefully composed scenes of soldiers preparing for battle, day-to-day life in the trenches and the devastating consequences on the front line.

Their remarkable fully-hued pictures have now been published in time for the centenary, bringing a human reality to the ‘war to end war’.

The volume by author Peter Walther includes some of the most important developments of the war including the mobilisation of 1914 to the victory celebrations in Paris, London and New York in 1919.

It was possible to take colour photos as early as the 19th century and the autochrome technique was introduced in 1907 before even new technology in the 1930s made colour photography more mainstream.

More than nine million soldiers and seven million civilians were killed in the First World War, which started on July 28, 1914 and ended on November 11, 1918.

Hundreds of events are taking place throughout this year to mark 100 years since the war began.

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Autochrome technology was in its early days throughout the First World War but a small group of photographers were pioneering its usage and there pictures are now being republished in a new book. Troops are pictured here in blue jackets and helmets watching the sky intently for missiles

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French airship Alsace is pictured when it was shot down on October 3, 1915 near Rethel (left) and also a German canteen (right) in one of the trenches

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The First World War was the first time air warfare had played a role in combat and this picture of French warplane, Caudron G3, was captured by a photographer in 1914

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Pictures like this one of a British tank in Péronne near Amiens feature in the book which has been published to mark the centenary of the outbreak of war in 1914

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The volume includes some of the most important developments of the war including the mobilisation of 1914 to the victory celebrations in Paris, London and New York in 1919. This picture shows a British ambulance in 1914 with its famous red crosses

This fully-hued picture shows the victory celebrations at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on July 14, 1919 after the war ended on November 11, 1918

 Front cover of The First World War in Colour, which includes 320 remarkable rare photos in original full-hue brought together from archives in Europe, the United States and Australia. This touching image shows troops enjoying some downtime intently playing cards in their camp

Walther has edited a series of other publications on literary, photographic and contemporary themes and has also illustrated books with historical colour photographs and has collated for exhibitions. Pictured here are piles shells and ammunition stacked ready to use

The book includes work by Paul Castelnau, Fernand Cuville, Jules Gervais-Courtellemont, Léon Gimpel, Hans Hildenbrand and Charles C. Zoller - pictured is the view across the Meuse of the devastated Verdun which is reflected in the water

Portraits show carefully composed scenes of soldiers preparing for battle, day-to-day life in the trenches and the devastating consequences on the front line, such as these soldiers in a concrete trench