Archive Collection

Four sailors in a studio photo taken in Trieste, Italy

Four sailors in a studio photo taken in Trieste, Italy

A photograph of four sailors taken in a studio in Trieste in Italy during the early twentieth century. Between 1900 and 1945 ships had to go into port frequently to replenish supplies of fuel and fresh food. During a peacetime show-the-flag cruise, sailors could expect to rotate ashore in large numbers at almost every port of call. Many naval ratings went to sea because they were eager to see other lands and meet different peoples. Sailors went to cinemas, theatres and to dance halls. They also walked or bussed around foreign cities or ports.