I came across this guidebook ‘Before Endeavours fade’ by Rose E. B. Coombs whilst researching practitioner Michael St Maur Sheil. This publication is also mentioned in the essays by Val Williams Warworks, which you can find the post here. I was intrigued how Michael St Maur Sheil used this book as a reference point to his work and so I ordered it to look for myself. Williams says about the types of photographs featured in this book “Photographs like these, and the memorials they record, are markers on a map of memory, blurred witness to the ways in which we remember wars”. (Williams, p28, 1994) I like the idea of a map of memory, especially for my own work and the subject of airfields can be labelled onto to a map. Although these airfield buildings are not memorials they are a monument to the past and their significance to WW2. They are all that is left that could represent memories for personnel and local communities.
This guidebook would have been quite prevalent at the time of publication, with no Internet or Google maps, this is how you would trace the memories of World War 1 in 1979. All photographs are in monochrome, which visually depict the landscape in a straightforward approach as to document for the audience what the subject is. The text is very informative and set out in a newspaper style, this detailed text includes road directions to the points of interest. There is also the inclusion of maps and aerial imagery that highlight suggested routes and clearly marked points of interest are valuable to the viewer.
In relation to my work I was interested in the type of audience that this guidebook would invite like veterans, families or military enthusiasts. I also like that it is a personal account from Coombs that you can follow her direction in order to trace these routes, her map of memory. With the inclusion of all these elements such as text and imagery the viewer can choose whether this book will guide them through a physical tour or journey through the book as so the audience can interpret the landscape/memory.
Each section is broken down into areas in which the battles took place, brief outline summaries are provided and then separated into routes and battlefield tours in which can be taken. The text is important in delivering the right context it includes facts and figures but then at moments we are reminded that it is a personal account and Commbs expresses emotion in a caption for an image “The grimmest place in Arras- the Mur des Fusilees execution post”. (Coombs, 1979)
Before Endeavours Fade by Rose Coombs
Looking forward into my own practice I like the idea of a tour, a visual tour through airfield sites in NI. Including text and maps to contextualise the subject and portray a narrative, a memory. There is a similar guide that is based in NI (although I think the project is finished now due to funding I have a link to the pdf) the guide is called GI Trail of NI, there are different leaflets that fold out to show places of interest including airfields and routes to take. This could be a plausible outlay in which to present my work, a leaflet being low cost and portable, something that the viewer could takeaway with them at the exhibition. I will also investigate what happened to all the information and research with this project. I wonder how successful it was and did it achieve its intent.
Click to access gi_trail_web.pdf
References
Williams, V. (1994). Warworks. London: Virago
Coombs, R. (1979). Before Endeavours Fade. (3rd ed.). London: Battle of Britain Prints Int Ltd.
Critical Research Journal 