Sand Bag Collection

Wounded British in trench, 18 Aug 1918. Creator: Bain News Service
Wounded British in trench, 18 Aug 1918. Wounded British soldiers of the 27th Brigade, 9th Division, in a trench at a regimental aid post near Outtersteene Ridge following the formation's

Y.M.C.A. at Fort Sheridan, Ills., 1917 and 1918. Creator: Bain News Service
Y.M.C.A. at Fort Sheridan, Ills., 1917 and 1918. YMCA structures at Fort Sheridan now a residential neighborhood which makes up Lake Forest, Highwood, and Highland Park, Illinois during World War I.

French put a mitrailleuse in position, between c1915 and 1918. Creator: Bain News Service
French put a mitrailleuse in position, between c1915 and 1918. French soldiers placing machine gun on its tripod during World War I.

France - in a front line trench, 1917. Creator: Bain News Service
France - in a front line trench, 1917. British troops in a trench in France during World War I.

Germans in Rus. [i.e. Russian] Poland, between c1910 and c1915. Creator: Bain News Service
Germans in Rus. [i.e. Russian] Poland, between c1910 and c1915. German soldiers during World War I.

German Bomb-proof shelter, 5 yards deep, between c1915 and 1916. Creator: Bain News Service
German Bomb-proof shelter, 5 yards deep, between c1915 and 1916. A German bomb-proof shelter during World War I.

The War in America: Howlett's battery on the James River..., 1864. Creator: Mason Jackson
The War in America: Howlett's battery on the James River, engaging the Federal monitors - by our special artist, 1864

General Nivelles Offensive during the Battle of Verdun, April 1916 (colour woodcut)
698802 General Nivelles Offensive during the Battle of Verdun, April 1916 (colour woodcut) by Hermann, Paul (1864-1940); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Weapon which is said to have changed German Infantry tactics
STC292944 The Weapon which is said to have changed German Infantry tactics: A Machine-gun in the German trenches, from The Illustrated War News (sepia photo) by German Photographer (20th Century)

Russian Rifle Pit (now British), plate from The Seat of War in the East
STC142020 Russian Rifle Pit (now British), plate from The Seat of War in the East, published by Colnaghi and Co. 1856 (colour litho) by Simpson

Union mortars in Battery Weed on Morris Island, South Carolina, 1863 (b / w photo)
869216 Union mortars in Battery Weed on Morris Island, South Carolina, 1863 (b/w photo) by Hs and Peale (fl.1839-57); Private Collection; (add.info)

Tank and Infantry Attack (Colour Litho)
2778284 Tank and Infantry Attack (Colour Litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The attack of the tanks and the infantry)

Soldier looking through a trench periscope, from an album compiled by Lt
NAM261153 Soldier looking through a trench periscope, from an album compiled by Lt. Kindom (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); National Army Museum

Soldiers sleeping in shell craters (colour photo)
3096272 Soldiers sleeping in shell craters (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Soldiers sleeping in shell craters)

Completing the citys preparedness. Just one of the many examples of the work of completing protection of Newcastle buildings. 3rd September 1939

Potash lorries burned Jericho road Sand-bag tower
Potash lorries burned on Jericho road Sand-bag tower manned by Jewish potash workers at north end of Dead Sea. 1938, Israel

WORLD WAR I: SAND BAGS. Miles of sand bags employed in the construction of a British trench near Fricourt. These are indispensible where the soil is marshy

WORLD WAR I: FRENCH TROOPS. A French grenade thrower looking through a periscope from a sand-bagged trench during World War I. Photograph, 1914-1918

WORLD WAR I: RIFLE GRENADES. Allied soldiers with rifle grenades, which were fired through crevices in trench sand bags during World War I. Photograph, 1914-1918

WWI: BELGIAN GUNNER. A Belgian gunner operating a maxim machine gun during World War I. Photograph, 1914-1918

WORLD WAR I: PALESTINE. British dugouts supported with sand bags, in the side of a sand dune in Palestine during World War I. Photogrpah, c1916

The Trevillion garages inn Erith, Kent. 1936

Italy, Soldiers in trench during First World War (1915-1918)
Italy, 20th century - First World War (1915-1918) - Soldiers in a trench

Dramatization of the battlegrounds, Gallipoli, Canakkale, Turkey

CIVIL WAR: UNION FORT. Union soldiers in a fort on Morris Island in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Photograph, July or August 1863

CIVIL WAR: FORT FISHER, 1865. Union army soldiers with a cannon after the capture of the Confederate Fort Fisher in North Carolina. Photograph by Timothy O Sullivan, January 1865

CIVIL WAR: HEADQUARTERS. Confederate headquarters of a field officer of the trenches, Morris Island, South Carolina. Photograph by Hs & Peale in 1863

CIVIL WAR: ATLANTA, 1864. Union Army troops in a Confederate fort near Atlanta, Georgia. Photograph by George Barnard, 1864

CIVIL WAR: HEADQUARTERS. Confederate headquarters of a field officer of the trenches, Morris Island, South Carolina. Photograph by Hs & Peale in 1863

Cover design, Gordon Bennett Aeronautic Cup
Cover design, Official Program of the Second Competition for the Gordon Bennett Aeronautic Cup, Forest Park, St Louis, USA, October 1907. Showing men flying in balloons. October 1907

Chinese labourers filling sandbags near Arras, France, WW1
Chinese labourers filling sandbags near Arras, northern France, during the First World War. Date: 13 June 1918

Trench in Suez Canal defences, Egypt, WW1
A trench in the Suez Canal defences, Egypt, during the First World War. It was probably at Muhammadiya, where the Scottish Horse dug a new line of trenches. Date: spring 1916

British trenches after fall of Gaza, Palestine, WW1
British trenches on the 75th Division Front after the fall of Gaza, Palestine, during the First World War. Date: 7 November 1917

Allied action at Arsuf, Middle East, WW1
Allied action on the Mediterranean coast at Arsuf in the Middle East (now in Israel) during the First World War. Sandbag defences are being held by the 2nd Battalion Black Watch

KOREAN WAR: PROPAGANDA. United Nations troops read Christmas propaganda leaflets taken from the body of a dead Communist soldier, who carried them to distribute in this way, 27 December 1952

Flood defences outside a fish and chip shop in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, UK

KOREAN WAR: TRENCHES, 1952. U. S. Marines seek shelter from enemy mortar fire deep in a trench on the eastern front in
KOREAN WAR: TRENCHES, 1952. U.S. Marines seek shelter from enemy mortar fire deep in a trench on the eastern front in Korea, March/April 1952

CHAPLIN: SHOULDER ARMS. Charlie Chaplin, English actor and comedian, in a scene from Shoulder Arms, 1918

EVCW2A-00129
Sandbag battery at Fort Moultrie with artillery aimed at Fort Sumter during the American Civil War. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

Trench entrance and sandbags, Northern France
View of a trench entrance and sandbags on a battlefield in Northern France, during the First World War

Communications trench at Gallipoli WWI
Sandbag wall across gully used as main communication trench at Helles, Gallipoli during World War I

Filling Sandbags - WW2 Home Front (2 / 4)
World War Two - British Home Front - London. Men and young boys fill sandbags in the street. The sandbags were piled against buildings

Filling Sandbags - WW2 Home Front (4 / 4)
World War Two - British Home Front - London. Young men, boys and women of all ages fill sandbags in the street. The sandbags were piled against buildings

Filling Sandbags - WW2 Home Front (1 / 4)
World War Two - British Home Front - London. Men and young boys fill sandbags in the street. The sandbags were piled against buildings

Filling Sandbags - WW2 Home Front (3 / 4)
World War Two - British Home Front - London. Men and young boys fill sandbags in the street. The sandbags were piled against buildings

Ridinger Haute Ecole 3
Haute Ecole : Training a horse to the Vaulting Trot with a sandbag to simulate weight of rider

Vietnamese Soldier
A young, disheartened South Vietnamese soldier rests on a sandbag, contemplating the vast landscape of debris which surrounds him

Sandbags in Moscow
Sandbag barricades in Smolensk Street, Moscow, anticipating a German attack on the city, which fortunately was prevented

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"Sand Bags: The Unsung Heroes of Warfare" From the General Nivelles Offensive during the Battle of Verdun to the Union mortars on Morris Island, sand bags have played a crucial role in changing German infantry tactics and fortifying defensive positions. These unassuming sacks filled with earth or sand have been used as makeshift barriers and protective structures throughout history. In April 1916, during the color woodcut depiction of the General Nivelles Offensive, sand bags were strategically placed to shield soldiers from enemy fire. This simple yet effective weapon altered German infantry tactics by providing cover and allowing troops to advance under protection. During World War One, a soldier looking through a trench periscope captured an image that symbolized both resilience and vulnerability. The presence of sand bags surrounding him showcased their importance in safeguarding soldiers' lives amidst chaotic battlefields. Not limited to European conflicts, sand bag defenses were also utilized in South Africa during the Victorian era. A stereoview card from circa 1900 depicted Irish troops firing while soldiers tended to wounded comrades behind sturdy barricades made of sand bags. Fast forward to World War Two; black-and-white photographs revealed soldiers sleeping peacefully within shell craters lined with sand bags. These improvised shelters provided much-needed respite for exhausted warriors amidst relentless warfare. Sand bag defenses continued into more recent times as well. In Jericho road, potash lorries burned while a towering structure made entirely out of these humble sacks stood tall against potential threats. Whether it was protecting important sectors near Fauquissart guarding Calais or completing city preparedness measures, countless examples demonstrate how versatile and vital these unassuming objects are in military operations worldwide. From Russian rifle pits transformed into British strongholds to tanks launching coordinated attacks alongside infantry forces - all benefited from the reliability offered by this ingenious invention called "sand bag. " Their ability to absorb impact saved lives and allowed armies across generations to adapt swiftly on the ever-changing battlefield.