KEEPSAKES
This is collection of ephemera, (no drawings)from my time as Official War Artist to the Falklands Islands Task Force back in 1982. It is inentionally light hearted, & in no order as I re-find them.
No camera, no mobile, pre-digital! Can you imagine that?
I was always minded to minimise painful aspects,
perhaps this was a mistake.
More pictures to follow as I find them.
Our Brigadier Tony Wilson & Major Brendon Lamb his Brigade Major as we pulled away from the crowds at Southampton docks. 1,000’s of us waving to each other. Almost a festive atmosphere, but with mixed feelings. Most of too inexperienced to do other than hope for success in our work ahead. No one having been part of such an immense scale of operation.
The exercise here was 'Heli-training' on the aft (rear ) deck & that's the ocean all about us. The 1/7th DEO Ghirka Rifles, & the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards learn to jump off an airborne helicopter, in battledress with full kit as for the arctic, & to land in an proper formation. A new experience for all of us, & It being a sweltering tropical climate at the time didn't help either.
Drawing 16 people jumping about, helicopters in flight (in their downdraft) is not easy. However if the same activity is repeated time & time again somehow one automatically starts to 'edit' & begins to capture the essence of it. Almost like 'memory' drawing. The drawings were to be exhibited immediately on arrival back, this being one of the reasons I was commissioned - very fast drawing. (Fast - yes, but 1 in 10 being useable)