After the Hitler Line battle, when several of us went back to see if anything was salvageable from our knocked out tanks, we came across a Canadian officer perched nearby "Ballyrashane" busily painting away. Although I was aware that battlefield artists and cartoonists were active in the Italian Theatre, to see one "in the flesh" was quite a surprise. From time to time I wondered who he was until, in 1995, there was an article in "Canadian Military History" about him. His name is Charles Comfort and here is what he was painting. Notice the Churchills and the A/T gun, although the latter I do not remember seeing! One of our chaps posed for a photograph by the turret of the destroyed Panzerturm. Anyone have paintings/cartoons they would care to share with us?
I don't have anything to share but that is really an amazing two pictures. To see a painting, and then see a photo that was obviously an inspiration for it, or at least was taken in the same location, is really something. It shows how even somebody who was there can be mistaken as to details.
Realise this is an old thread but I hadn't seen it. What a wonderful combination of pictures. More on Comfort here: http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/artwar/artists/charles-comfort_e.html
Same turret, same artist. http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/artwar/artworks/19710261-2203_hilter-line_e.html
Above picture also appears here.Brighter colours so 1st Cdn Div red patch more noticable. http://www.awm.gov.au/sharedexperience/enlarge.asp?cat=1&painting=21 Hitler Line Hitler Line Charles Comfort oil on canvas 101.6 x 121.7cm CWM 19710261-2203 One gun created a fantastic sight,” wrote Comfort in his diary, “sticking perpendicularly into the air, like a gigantic pylon memorializing the disasters of war. A direct hit had detonated its magazine, the resulting blast tearing the whole turret from its casemate and tossing it in the air. There it was, a vast, inert steel probe, blindly challenging the heavens.”
After the Hitler Line battle, when several of us went back to see if anything was salvageable from our knocked out tanks, we came across a Canadian officer perched nearby "Ballyrashane" busily painting away. Although I was aware that battlefield artists and cartoonists were active in the Italian Theatre, to see one "in the flesh" was quite a surprise. From time to time I wondered who he was until, in 1995, there was an article in "Canadian Military History" about him. His name is Charles Comfort and here is what he was painting. Notice the Churchills and the A/T gun, although the latter I do not remember seeing! One of our chaps posed for a photograph by the turret of the destroyed Panzerturm. Anyone have paintings/cartoons they would care to share with us? Morning I recently commissioned a military artist to produce 12 Royal Marine illustrations for a historic calendar. I had one done for WW2 and it is set at Walcheron.the other 11 may not be of interest as they depict the marines from 1664 -2006. This one is my favourite.
Nick That looks like Kevin Lyles work, am I right? Superb illustration. Also at the IWM today I saw the original of the Hitler line painting. Brilliant!
A caricature artist named Pat Rooney visited many R.A.F. stations during the war drawing aircrews, here is an example.
Having decided to create a page relating to Captain Comfort I wish to quote the source of the final painting that was was posted by Erik et al. Also, any suggestions/comments about the page will be appreciated. See: http://www.nih.ww2site.com/nih/Art/Comfort.html Cheers, Gerry
More of Charles Comfort's work here. http://www.awm.gov.au/sharedexperience/artist/artist.asp?id=17 Click on the thumbnails on the link.
