Recovering the past - Ian Alderman

Despite a century having passedsince the signing of the Armistice, the scale of the legacy of unexplodedammunition from The Great War is still a little known fact. RecoveringThe Past is a photographic documentary project of 25 striking and thoughtprovoking images produced to coincide with an exhibition in Ypres, Belgium.This book contains all the images from the exhibition and describes how theycame about in technical detail and the backstory behind each image. It alsocomes with six postcards selected by the photographer Ian Alderman.

It examines the operations of theBelgian Army's bomb disposal unit (DOVO-SEDEE), whilst drawing its artisticinspiration from Australian cultural icons to commemorate the AustralianImperial Force's (AIF) significant contribution to the fighting in Flanders.The role of the British Army in the battles of Flanders is widely appreciated,yet the role of the AIF to that fighting and the eventual Allied victoryremains lesser known. The sacrifice and heroism of Australian soldiers inBelgium was as intense as that endured in France and at Gallipoli. Throughsensitive compositing of both historic and modern photographs, RecoveringThe Past visually acknowledges Australia's 'Diggers' in the successfuloutcome of the war in Flanders.