Picturing Africa and documenting war: soldiers’ photographs from East Africa, 1914–19

During First World War, thousands of British soldiers were sent to fight in German East Africa, often unaware of their deployment until en route. Many brought cameras, capturing images of African landscapes, people, and wildlife. Their unprepared encounter offers unique insights into British perceptions of colonial Africa. Their photographs, shaped by imperial aesthetics, contrast their role as soldiers in a brutal campaign. This article examines how their images document both their perceptions of Africa and the destruction of colonial infrastructure, challenging the myth of the European ‘civilising mission’ amid war’s devastation.