The War to End All Wars- The WWI Scrapbook of Dr. Glenn H. Reams

This year, 2014, is the 100th anniversary of the beginning of WWI. To commemorate this momentous event in human history, I’m posting some photos from the wartime scrapbook of Dr. Glenn H. Reams, my maternal grandfather.  Dr. Reams volunteered to join the Army Medical Corps shortly after graduation from Medical School at Vanderbilt. He served in or near the front lines in France from 1916 until the Armistice on November 11, 1918. Grandfather moved to the Toledo, Ohio area after the war, and was a widely respected surgeon there for many years, retiring to Florida in the early 1960’s. Dr. Reams was an avid photographer all of his life and had a camera with him during the war. He took many photographs of his own and copied photos from various bulletin boards he saw, the source of many of the battlefield photos to follow. It amazes me to think that some of the formerly beautiful places shown in this album were total losses when these photos were taken, and many of the remaining buildings were undoubtedly destroyed not even 30 years later in WWII. Some of these photos are quite graphic so weaker constitutions beware!

Dr. Reams on Left with Capt. Newell
Dr. Reams on Left with Capt. Newell
Foch & Peshing
Foch & Peshing
Old Charles
Old Charles
Dug Out
Dug Out
German Artillery Post
German Artillery Post
Rheims
Rheims
Capt Guynemer
Capt. Guynemer in Full Flight
Field Hospital
Field Hospital
Chateau Thierry Bridge
Chateau Thierry Bridge
French Tank at the Marne
French Tank at the Marne
Chateau Thierry-Vaux
Chateau Thierry-Vaux
Vaux
Vaux
French Troops
French Troops
Chateau Thierry Bridge
Chateau Thierry Bridge
French Blimp
French Blimp
Ruined Church Ablain
Ruined Church Ablain
RR Bridge
RR Bridge
Cemetery Belleau Wood
Cemetery Belleau Wood
Chateau Thiery Homes
Chateau Thierry Homes
Practice In Trenches
Practice In Trenches
L'Arc de Triomphe
L’Arc de Triomphe
Armistice Day
Place de la Concorde on Armistice Day
These Finished It
These Finished It

3 thoughts on “The War to End All Wars- The WWI Scrapbook of Dr. Glenn H. Reams”

  1. John- excellent job – I remember looking at a few of these(or similar) photos at your house a few years ago- very timely- hope all is well with you and the family- Kacy is getting married in Mararthon May 9th, 2015- hopefully you guys can make it- Hugh

  2. Hello, I am curious about some of these photos with the words written on (in) them, did your family member actually Photograph the scene and put the words on during development? I too have some photos from WW1 with similar writings on them. Or, perhaps are they “Stock” photos readily available at the time to anyone. The photos are Fantastic and I was wondering due to the similarity of some of the photos I have seen before.
    Any information would be Greatly Appreciated.
    Thank you

    1. Some of the photos with the white script writing on them were done by my grandfather or possibly one of his associates with his camera. The ones with the black lettering on what looks like white strips of paper, and some of the others, I suspect he photographed off of a bulletin board. I included them for their interest. There are plenty more that some day I will get around to scanning. Hopefully before all of the silver leaves the prints! I keep them sealed in the dark, but they are getting awfully faint.

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