Carla-Jean Stokes
@carlajeanstokes.bsky.social
Historian of First World War photography 🇬🇧 🇨🇦 | Museum Jill of all trades | author of: The Taking of Vimy Ridge: First World War photographs of William Ivor Castle
https://www.wlupress.wlu.ca/Books/T/The-Taking-of-Vimy-Ridge
https://www.wlupress.wlu.ca/Books/T/The-Taking-of-Vimy-Ridge
Pinned
Copies of my book 'The Taking of Vimy Ridge: First World War Photographs of William Ivor Castle' are making their way out into the world, just ahead of the official release date of Oct 7!
Be sure to head to your fav indy bookshop and order a copy, or you can request it at your local library.
Be sure to head to your fav indy bookshop and order a copy, or you can request it at your local library.
Reposted by Carla-Jean Stokes
In November 1916, William Ivor Castle became credited as the first Great War photographer to take photographs of "tanks in action."
November 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
In November 1916, William Ivor Castle became credited as the first Great War photographer to take photographs of "tanks in action."
Use the code SALE30 to save 30% on books from WLU Press (including mine!) 🥳
www.wlupress.wlu.ca/Books/T/The-...
www.wlupress.wlu.ca/Books/T/The-...
The Taking of Vimy Ridge
Wilfrid Laurier University Press - Transforming Ideas
www.wlupress.wlu.ca
November 25, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Use the code SALE30 to save 30% on books from WLU Press (including mine!) 🥳
www.wlupress.wlu.ca/Books/T/The-...
www.wlupress.wlu.ca/Books/T/The-...
In November 1916, William Ivor Castle became credited as the first Great War photographer to take photographs of "tanks in action."
November 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
In November 1916, William Ivor Castle became credited as the first Great War photographer to take photographs of "tanks in action."
Baby Girl turns 5 today! 🥳🍪
Happiest birthday wishes to my smart, curious, sweet, kind girl who will never read this and is not allowed on social media for about 30 more years.
Happiest birthday wishes to my smart, curious, sweet, kind girl who will never read this and is not allowed on social media for about 30 more years.
November 16, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Baby Girl turns 5 today! 🥳🍪
Happiest birthday wishes to my smart, curious, sweet, kind girl who will never read this and is not allowed on social media for about 30 more years.
Happiest birthday wishes to my smart, curious, sweet, kind girl who will never read this and is not allowed on social media for about 30 more years.
There's nothing like a photograph that bears the evidence of its past use.
Residents of Knocke, Belgium, talking with personnel of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, 5 November 1944, photograph by Donald I. Grant, Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 3229761.
Residents of Knocke, Belgium, talking with personnel of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, 5 November 1944, photograph by Donald I. Grant, Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 3229761.
November 14, 2025 at 3:26 PM
There's nothing like a photograph that bears the evidence of its past use.
Residents of Knocke, Belgium, talking with personnel of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, 5 November 1944, photograph by Donald I. Grant, Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 3229761.
Residents of Knocke, Belgium, talking with personnel of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, 5 November 1944, photograph by Donald I. Grant, Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 3229761.
Taking a look at #SWW photographs this morning. If I was strictly posting in real time, this beaut would have had to wait until the end of the month.
But I couldn't wait that long, because come on. Details in ALT.
But I couldn't wait that long, because come on. Details in ALT.
November 13, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Taking a look at #SWW photographs this morning. If I was strictly posting in real time, this beaut would have had to wait until the end of the month.
But I couldn't wait that long, because come on. Details in ALT.
But I couldn't wait that long, because come on. Details in ALT.
Reposted by Carla-Jean Stokes
On the morning of 11 November 1918, Canadian official photographer William Rider-Rider was in Mons photographing the scenes he witnessed as the armistice was announced.
A Canadian Battalion marching through the Grand Place, Mons, 11 November 1918, Archives of Ontario Collection, I0004854.
A Canadian Battalion marching through the Grand Place, Mons, 11 November 1918, Archives of Ontario Collection, I0004854.
November 11, 2025 at 3:51 PM
On the morning of 11 November 1918, Canadian official photographer William Rider-Rider was in Mons photographing the scenes he witnessed as the armistice was announced.
A Canadian Battalion marching through the Grand Place, Mons, 11 November 1918, Archives of Ontario Collection, I0004854.
A Canadian Battalion marching through the Grand Place, Mons, 11 November 1918, Archives of Ontario Collection, I0004854.
Reposted by Carla-Jean Stokes
Theo Dombrowski reviews The Taking of Vimy Ridge in The British Columbia Review: "an evocative insight into a momentous point in history—and the role photography played in it." @carlajeanstokes.bsky.social
thebcreview.ca/2025/11/11/2...
thebcreview.ca/2025/11/11/2...
Theo Dombrowski reviews The Taking of Vimy Ridge: First World War
Theo Dombrowski reviews The Taking of Vimy Ridge: First World War Photographs of William Ivor Castle, by Carla-Jean Stokes (Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2025) $64.99 / 9781771126984
thebcreview.ca
November 11, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Theo Dombrowski reviews The Taking of Vimy Ridge in The British Columbia Review: "an evocative insight into a momentous point in history—and the role photography played in it." @carlajeanstokes.bsky.social
thebcreview.ca/2025/11/11/2...
thebcreview.ca/2025/11/11/2...
Reposted by Carla-Jean Stokes
Carla-Jean Stokes' book about William Ivor Castle's work tells the stories behind the famous photographer's First World War photos, including the ones he manipulated.
www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/1...
www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/1...
November 11, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Carla-Jean Stokes' book about William Ivor Castle's work tells the stories behind the famous photographer's First World War photos, including the ones he manipulated.
www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/1...
www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/1...
On the morning of 11 November 1918, Canadian official photographer William Rider-Rider was in Mons photographing the scenes he witnessed as the armistice was announced.
A Canadian Battalion marching through the Grand Place, Mons, 11 November 1918, Archives of Ontario Collection, I0004854.
A Canadian Battalion marching through the Grand Place, Mons, 11 November 1918, Archives of Ontario Collection, I0004854.
November 11, 2025 at 3:51 PM
On the morning of 11 November 1918, Canadian official photographer William Rider-Rider was in Mons photographing the scenes he witnessed as the armistice was announced.
A Canadian Battalion marching through the Grand Place, Mons, 11 November 1918, Archives of Ontario Collection, I0004854.
A Canadian Battalion marching through the Grand Place, Mons, 11 November 1918, Archives of Ontario Collection, I0004854.
Meat eaters clutching their pearls because the government culled a flock of meat birds is a supremely annoying timeline to be stuck in.
Signed, your friendly neighborhood vegetarian.
Signed, your friendly neighborhood vegetarian.
November 7, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Meat eaters clutching their pearls because the government culled a flock of meat birds is a supremely annoying timeline to be stuck in.
Signed, your friendly neighborhood vegetarian.
Signed, your friendly neighborhood vegetarian.
This morning, over breakfast, my kiddo said “guess what mommy? Yesterday we talked about SOLDIERS. Isn’t that AWESOME!?”
Yes, that is awesome.
Yes, that is awesome.
November 6, 2025 at 7:39 PM
This morning, over breakfast, my kiddo said “guess what mommy? Yesterday we talked about SOLDIERS. Isn’t that AWESOME!?”
Yes, that is awesome.
Yes, that is awesome.
I had custom postcards made of my favourite (ha! 😝) war photograph.
November 6, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I had custom postcards made of my favourite (ha! 😝) war photograph.
Reposted by Carla-Jean Stokes
The first Canadian platoon to enter Valenciennes from the west, advancing towards the Canal
and
Canadian Patrol crossing the railway in Valenciennes under heavy machine gun fire, both by William Rider-Rider, November 1918, LAC O-3504 & 3507.
and
Canadian Patrol crossing the railway in Valenciennes under heavy machine gun fire, both by William Rider-Rider, November 1918, LAC O-3504 & 3507.
November 2, 2025 at 2:56 PM
The first Canadian platoon to enter Valenciennes from the west, advancing towards the Canal
and
Canadian Patrol crossing the railway in Valenciennes under heavy machine gun fire, both by William Rider-Rider, November 1918, LAC O-3504 & 3507.
and
Canadian Patrol crossing the railway in Valenciennes under heavy machine gun fire, both by William Rider-Rider, November 1918, LAC O-3504 & 3507.
The first Canadian platoon to enter Valenciennes from the west, advancing towards the Canal
and
Canadian Patrol crossing the railway in Valenciennes under heavy machine gun fire, both by William Rider-Rider, November 1918, LAC O-3504 & 3507.
and
Canadian Patrol crossing the railway in Valenciennes under heavy machine gun fire, both by William Rider-Rider, November 1918, LAC O-3504 & 3507.
November 2, 2025 at 2:56 PM
The first Canadian platoon to enter Valenciennes from the west, advancing towards the Canal
and
Canadian Patrol crossing the railway in Valenciennes under heavy machine gun fire, both by William Rider-Rider, November 1918, LAC O-3504 & 3507.
and
Canadian Patrol crossing the railway in Valenciennes under heavy machine gun fire, both by William Rider-Rider, November 1918, LAC O-3504 & 3507.
Canadians who advanced recently on Passchendaele in billets, William Rider-Rider, November 1917, LAC O-3780.
November 1, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Canadians who advanced recently on Passchendaele in billets, William Rider-Rider, November 1917, LAC O-3780.
Happy Halloween!
If FWW photography is good for anything, clearly it's men playing dress-up (I kid, I kid). (Although also, I'm not kidding. It really is great).
Here are some snaps by Rider-Rider of a Maple Leaf Party in France, dated September 1917, LAC O-2012, 15, 16.
If FWW photography is good for anything, clearly it's men playing dress-up (I kid, I kid). (Although also, I'm not kidding. It really is great).
Here are some snaps by Rider-Rider of a Maple Leaf Party in France, dated September 1917, LAC O-2012, 15, 16.
October 31, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Happy Halloween!
If FWW photography is good for anything, clearly it's men playing dress-up (I kid, I kid). (Although also, I'm not kidding. It really is great).
Here are some snaps by Rider-Rider of a Maple Leaf Party in France, dated September 1917, LAC O-2012, 15, 16.
If FWW photography is good for anything, clearly it's men playing dress-up (I kid, I kid). (Although also, I'm not kidding. It really is great).
Here are some snaps by Rider-Rider of a Maple Leaf Party in France, dated September 1917, LAC O-2012, 15, 16.
My Gramma once told me she watched Sense and Sensibility on an airplane, then got home, saw it was on TV, and watched it again.
Honestly, so relatable.
Honestly, so relatable.
a man in a hat is standing next to a horse
ALT: a man in a hat is standing next to a horse
media.tenor.com
October 26, 2025 at 4:41 AM
My Gramma once told me she watched Sense and Sensibility on an airplane, then got home, saw it was on TV, and watched it again.
Honestly, so relatable.
Honestly, so relatable.
Some subjects along the Western Front had the ability to capture the imagination of numerous photographers.
The Albert Cathedral was no exception. British and Canadian war photographers returned to it over the months and years.
The Albert Cathedral was no exception. British and Canadian war photographers returned to it over the months and years.
October 24, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Some subjects along the Western Front had the ability to capture the imagination of numerous photographers.
The Albert Cathedral was no exception. British and Canadian war photographers returned to it over the months and years.
The Albert Cathedral was no exception. British and Canadian war photographers returned to it over the months and years.
Today in parent-teacher conferences, the kindergarten teacher told us our daughter reminds her of a 45 year old woman and honestly, best compliment ever.
October 22, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Today in parent-teacher conferences, the kindergarten teacher told us our daughter reminds her of a 45 year old woman and honestly, best compliment ever.
I feel that I can’t emphasize this enough: I do not care about professional sports ⚾️
October 21, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I feel that I can’t emphasize this enough: I do not care about professional sports ⚾️
Reposted by Carla-Jean Stokes
4th CMR Resting in a Barn, October 1917, William Rider-Rider, Library and Archives Canada.
October 20, 2025 at 5:42 PM
4th CMR Resting in a Barn, October 1917, William Rider-Rider, Library and Archives Canada.
4th CMR Resting in a Barn, October 1917, William Rider-Rider, Library and Archives Canada.
October 20, 2025 at 5:42 PM
4th CMR Resting in a Barn, October 1917, William Rider-Rider, Library and Archives Canada.
Reposted by Carla-Jean Stokes
A Happy Scene at a Canadian Ammunition Dump, William Ivor Castle, October 1916, Library and Archives Canada.
October 17, 2025 at 4:07 PM
A Happy Scene at a Canadian Ammunition Dump, William Ivor Castle, October 1916, Library and Archives Canada.
A Happy Scene at a Canadian Ammunition Dump, William Ivor Castle, October 1916, Library and Archives Canada.
October 17, 2025 at 4:07 PM
A Happy Scene at a Canadian Ammunition Dump, William Ivor Castle, October 1916, Library and Archives Canada.