Jack Turner could be described as an ordinary Canadian soldier when he enlisted to go overseas in 1915. He served primarily in France and western Europe. However, he proved to be an extraordinary photographer who recorded the First World War from a unique and captivating perspective. His photographs, taken illegally behind the lines, provide a first-hand account life at the front and both the camaraderie and the horror experienced by the men and women who took part in the war effort.

When he was sent overseas to fight in The Great War, he hid his camera carefully in his clothing and carried it with him wherever he went, ignoring orders to turn in all cameras. At the time, it was illegal for any unauthorized soldier to carry a camera with them. The military was afraid that soldiers may act as spies and send pictures to the enemy. Another concern was that photographs of the suffering of the troops would be viewed at home in Canada and dampen the exuberance and general excitement toward the war effort.

Hiding his German-built 2" x 3" format camera under his sleeve, Jack Turner took photographs of the routine life of a soldier. To get film for his camera, Jack would send home a request for cigarettes and his family would send rolls of film. Developing the pictures was done in any dark place, such as a cellar, near his placement. When he received a few days of leave, he would visit friends and leave the photographs with them for safe keeping.

From delousing to weaponry to fellow soldiers, he catalogued the war from a very personal perspective. Through his four years as a member of the Artillery, including two and a half years at the front lines, he experienced three of the greatest battles of the war; Ypres, the Somme, and Vimy. His photographs capture these battles from a first-hand point of view and illustrate the destruction and horror that is war.

Upon returning home from the war, Jack took an interest in farming and farmed for 35 years. During this time he didn't use his camera at all and never even dreamt of pursuing a career in photography. However, after winning first prize in the Centennial Photography Contest with one of his old pictures, his interest in photography was rekindled and he took it up as a hobby.

Although he never imagined that his actions were making history, Jack Turner has indeed created a visual archive that is both unique and important. His photographs provide an interesting and informative record of the life of a soldier in World War I.