This image shows King George V climbing a large mound known as the Butte de Warlencourt. He is followed, in single file, by a number of other uniformed men. Although there is no date attached to this photograph, it is known that the King visited the Butte in July 1917 - a likely date for this photograph taken by the British official photographer, John Warwick Brooke.
The photograph's original caption reads, 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE WESTERN FRONT. H.M. climbing to the Butte de Warlancourt [Warlencourt].' Located close to the towns of Albert and Bapaume, the Butte de Warlencourt was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting during the Somme Offensive of 1916. An excellent vantage point for the surrounding area, it changed hands numerous times throughout the war.
This image forms part of the papers of Field Marshal (Earl) Haig (1861-1928), held by the National Library of Scotland. Like many World War I generals, Haig remains a controversial figure. The collection contains diaries, papers and photographs from every part of Haig's career, the Great War diaries being of special importance to historians.
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