New Zealand artillerymen loading limbers with ammunition, near Albert, September 1916. Every shell that was fired in World War I was handled many times on its way to the front, requiring a tremendous amount of labor, and usually many loadings and unloadings. This is one of the last stages: loading the limbers that will go forward to the gun positions, where the shells will be unloaded close to the guns. The white crosses on the end of each round are cloth handles that were secured by light metal clips; they simply made it easier to pull the rounds out of the limbers and generally made them easier to handle.

Source: IWM photo Q1249.