The Emilie Loring Collection

My focus on this blog is Emilie Loring, and I shared the impact of World War I on her writing in another post (See “When World War I Was Too Close to Bear”). I also included some of her son Selden’s photographs in Happy Landings: Emilie Loring’s Life, Writing, and Wisdom.

But I have been sitting on this wonderful cache of unpublished, World War I photos, and I want to share more of them. They aren’t press photos; rather, they are a record of the personal experience of a young man so moved by the urgency of the day that he volunteered before his age group was drafted.

I find these photos remarkable. I hope you will, too. If you recognize something, please let me know in the comments below.

(All rights reserved–Do not publish without permission.)

Swift Progression of Events, April 1917

“In our astonishment at each day’s news, we can hardly recollect what happened yesterday. In the unfailing surprises, in the everchanging conditions that confront us from the pages of the morning paper, we are at a loss to account for our expectations and our thoughts the night before.” Boston Globe, 1 April 1917

President Wilson to Congress, April 3

“There is one choice we cannot make, we are incapable of making. We will not choose the path of submission and suffer the most sacred rights of our nation and our people to be ignored or violated. The wrongs against which we now array ourselves are not common wrongs; they cut to the very roots of human life…

United in Democracy

“Old men and young, rich and poor, conservative and radical, pacifist and militarist, native and foreign born are all united to the standard of democracy which has been raised on high before the world… a program to which no man with American principles at his heart can hesitate to pledge his unstinted support.” Boston Globe, 4 April 1917

The Business of Neutrality is Over

“There are two kinds of warfare–one for selfish interests, the other for rights that benefit all mankind, and if not defended will be lost.” Boston Globe, 8 April 1917

“The spirit which is arousing our people in this momentous hour is hatred of tyranny.” Boston Globe, 8 April 1917

Selden Loring volunteered to go to France under the auspices of the French army. The original intent was to drive ambulances, but quickly, his job changed. Instead, he drove camions loaded with ammunition all the way to the front of fronts in ten campaigns.

There were no service stations in the field; he had to learn every inch of his vehicle and how to make repairs on the fly. His drawing skills served him well; the highly detailed illustrations he made in training were as good as a service manual.

Peril

“Loaded with many times their weight, they followed nose-to-tail, engine noise camouflaged by the rumbles, bursts, and explosions of German guns, their movements disguised by burlap-draped barbed wire left behind by the Germans.” Happy Landings

Selden wrote, “Having been blessed with orchestra seats for the whole show, I have been forced to observe at close quarters most of the methods of modern warfare and have been included in nearly all the offensives both Allied and German.”

Laid to Waste

Artillery

“By the way, speaking of guns, I wish Inky could hear a big shell when they are strafing a town. He could use it in a war sketch or play and get great suspense. They come starting way off with a high whistle and toning down to a swish with a little pause and complete silence before the crash. You can’t tell whether it’s going to hit near at hand or quite a way off. The little pause before the explosion is the most nerve-wracking time imaginable.” (Seldon M. Loring, in a letter to home)

Destruction

Daily Life

Away from the Front

On leave away from the front, Selden photographed undamaged scenes.

Selden returned safely after nearly two years abroad. He worked as a commercial artist and wrote stories and adventure books for young people. You would never have guessed all that he had seen.

Happy landings, everyone! Back to Emilie next time!