"RAF men showing off their pet rabbits, France, during World War I. Lying underneath the fuselage of an aeroplane, these three RAF men parade their pet rabbits for the camera’s inspection. Well known for their fondness of animals, British soldiers were keenly aware that keeping pets was an excellent way of maintaining a regiment's morale - hence the large number of regimental mascots adopted by British troops. Rabbits were not the only animals kept by soldiers during the Great War. Despite the shellfire, cats co-existed with soldiers in the trenches, where they killed rats and mice and thus helped to fight disease and protect food supplies. In addition to using pigeons to carry messages, soldiers sent canaries and mice into the mining tunnels being dug underneath enemy lines as a means of checking for poisonous gases. [Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON THE BRITISH WESTERN FRONT IN FRANCE. R.A.F. men with their pet rabbits at a Squadron near the lines.']"

Aircraft ID'd as R.E.8 from vision holes in wing root.