| Description | The photographs in this Green Book illustrate the YMCA's work in France. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by place and subject.
Many of these photographs are of YMCA huts at the great bases at Le Havre and Rouen which feature various huts such as Queen Mary's Hut, Berry's Hut, Bolton Hut, Cinder City Hut and Woodbine Hut at Le Havre and the Cats and Dogs Hut and Edinburgh Bairns Hut at Rouen, some of which are named in recognition of fund raising appeals or the generosity of donors. The majority of these images are of the exterior of the huts - some of which include posing soldiers and YMCA workers or show YMCA motor transport - but there are also a few views of interiors such as of the Edinburgh Bairns Hut. There are also some photographs of the marquees which were used before the advent of the more permanent huts, and of other structures such as the relatives hostel and convalescent camp hut at the hospital base in Rouen. There are many group photographs of YMCA workers, including lady workers of which there are a number relating to a visit made by Princess Victoria to Le Havre; other photographs feature workers at Rouen and individual YMCA officers such as Oliver McCowen. There are a number of photographs and other items illustrating recreational and sporting activities organised by the YMCA for soldiers such as football matches and tug of war competitions and of social programmes on offer evidenced by the printed invitations to Sunday tea at the Territorial Hut at Rouen.
There are more general views of buildings including Rouen Cathedral and postcard views of Namur and the Cercle de L'Industrie at Roubaix which was used as a YMCA Officers Club during the war, of scenery and daily life, such as oxen at work in the fields, and of images of bomb damage at Lille. |