This incredibly rare original British aerial reconnaissance photograph was taken by a British airplane flying over occupied German trenches during the Sommer Offensive. What makes this WWI Somme Offensive artifact so rare is the accompanying hand-drawn map of the exact aerial reconnaissance photograph. It is extremely rare to have an accompanying hand-drawn map with an aerial trench photograph of this time. The hand drawing with the original staples labels the German trench mortars, shelters, latrines, soldier footprint, and movement drawings as well as waterlogged trenches. This was one of the first aerial reconnaissance photographs taken as these new photographic airplane squadrons were not in full development. This new photographic support was urgently developed soon after giving its pressing military importance and advantages. Initially requiring a full-time photographer on board to handle the heavy, awkward equipment the interpreting of aerial images was an important new specialty, essential for accurate mapping. By 1915, air-to-ground radio was in use for reconnaissance pilots.

This photograph and accompany trench map show the Battle of the Ancre that occurred in November of 1916) and was fought by the British Fifth Army (Lieutenant-General Hubert Gough), against the German 1st Army (General Fritz von Below). The battle was the last of the big British attacks of the Battle of the Somme. After the Battle of Flers–Courcelette (15–22 September) the Anglo-French armies tried to press their advantage with smaller attacks in quick succession, rather than pausing to regroup and give the Germans time to recover. The battle would end with a United Kingdom and France victory over the Germans with an estimated 22,000 United Kingdom and France KIA and 45,000 German KIA including 7,000 prisoners.