These images, scanned from old glass negatives which had surfaced in northern France, were believed to have been taken by a local amateur photographer in 1916. They showed British and a few Australian soldiers, in formal or informal poses, during or just before the most murderous battle in the history of the British Empire – Battle of the Somme.

It was assumed that the images were made into postcards or prints to send home. Just like the selfies of today, the portraits were a mixture of the good and the indifferent, the in-focus and the out-of-focus. The soldiers were neat and scruffy, short and tall, solemn and jokey. There were individuals, pairs, small groups and big groups...

Who are these British and British Empire soldiers? Who was the photographer? From internal evidence in the pictures it is possible to identify the period and some of the military units. The identity of the soldiers is, and may always remain, a mystery. If you know who these people are, please email [email protected]. (Property of Bernard Gardin/Dominique Zanardi/Joel Scribe/The Independent Magazine)