A South African soldier standing watch, behind a large rock or mound of earth reinforced with sandbags. He is standing on a duckboard and is slightly crouched down, probably to avoid becoming a target. His rifle is propped up in front of him. There is a sign to the left which states 'GAS ALERT ON'. The weather vanes, visible in front of the lookout, were used during gas attacks to determine the direction of the wind and, hence, which way the lethal gas would travel.
Whilst many images were deliberately taken as propaganda, some, like this, manage to document the experiences of war.
[Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON THE FRONT IN FRANCE. - South African look-out.']
