This striking World War I-era illustration, published in The Illustrated War News in February 1916, shows an official rat-catcher seated outdoors with his dog, framed by a stark landscape of earth and trees. The man’s uniform cap and heavy coat, along with the dog held close at his side, give the scene an unmistakably documentary feel typical of wartime press imagery.
Across the foreground lies a grim spread of rats, emphasizing the scale of the infestation and the harsh realities faced behind the lines. The composition draws the eye from the quiet pose of the rat-catcher to the overwhelming evidence of his work, underscoring how pests and sanitation were constant concerns during WWI alongside combat itself.
As a historical photo-illustration from a contemporary news publication, this image captures an often-overlooked aspect of the First World War: pest control as part of daily survival and military logistics. It offers a vivid glimpse into wartime conditions and the unglamorous jobs that supported armies in the field, making it a compelling piece for WWI history, trench life research, and vintage newspaper illustration collectors.