Album, belonging to Sir Derek Keppel (1863-1944), Master of the Household of King George V and Queen Mary, containing 111 photographs (RCINs 2585146 - 2585205) of King George V (1965-1936) visiting troops in France, Belgium and the Western Front during the First World War. Photographs include the King arriving in Boulogne in 1916 on a visit to the British Armies in France; meeting with General Joffre, President Poincare, General Foch and Sir Douglas Haig; Australian, New Zealand, Gloucester Regiment and Canadian soldiers cheering the King as he passes; the King and Edward, Prince of Wales (1894-1972) visiting captured German trenches at Fricourt; the King attending a church service among his troops; watching Australians at drill practice; the King conversing with wounded Officers and with cottagers. There are photographs of the King in Belguim in 1916 and meeting with the King and Queen of Belgium. Other photographs show troops during drill practice; troops receiving decorations from the King; the King looking at war graves; visiting the Western Front; the arrival of Queen Mary (1867-1953); visiting the home of the King and Queen of Belguim; a South African Native Labour Contingent Hospital on the where the King and Queen meet the staff and patients and photographs of nurses. The last few photographs show a mass war grave field and a large crowd of troops on the side of a hill next to a bridge. Each photograph is individually inscribed.

The South African Native Labour Contingent comprised men from South Africa who under a scheme devised by the British and South African governments would provide much needed labour to support the war effort in France. Efforts by the then South African government to enforce segregation between the contingent and other non-African fighting forces were rendered unsuccessful not only in the theatre of war but also through resistance by members of the SANLC themselves.