Charles Bruce Bairnsfather (1888-1959) served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on the Western Front during World War One (1914-1918). Before the war he had attempted to make his living as a commercial artist and he continued to sketch while at the Front. The horror of trench warfare had a profound effect on the young infantry officer but it was the stoic good humour of his men that inspired most of the cartoons he produced. Encouraged by his work's popularity with officers and men alike, Bairnsfather submitted a cartoon entitled, 'Where Did That One Go To?', to the 'The Bystander' magazine and it was accepted and published. Compilations of his cartoons, notably the 'Fragments from France' series, followed. Bairnsfather's artwork was reproduced widely in various forms and became the subject of successful theatrical and film productions. Invalided home, Bairnsfather became quite a celebrity but the British authorities seemed disinclined to promote the artist or his work. Bairnsfather was however in demand from Britain's allies and he went on to work with the French, Italian and United States armies. In October 1915. while training machine gun officers at Sutton Veny, Bairnsfather produced his most famous cartoon depicting two soldiers sharing a shell hole, entitled, 'Well if you knows a better' ole, go to it'. It was published in the Christmas issue of 'The Bystander', on 24 November 1915.
For earlier works see parts 1 & 2 also. This is part 3 of a 3-part series on the works of Bruce Bairnsfather:
Note: Dates were not found for the majority of images in the remainder of this series.
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| No, Colonel, sir, he says he only had one drink last night, but after that everything went blank. |
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Next Case!
To Commander Saxton from Bruce Bairnsfather with best wishes
pencil, pen & wash on paper 27.5 x 20 cm |
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My Dream
For Years to Come |
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His Dual Obsession
published in The Bystander |
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| Frustrated Ingenuity |
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Envy at the Chateau
pencil, watercolour and white heightening on paper 35 x 25 cm |
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Danger! Water Fall
pen and ink over pencil 35 x 27cm |
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Shoes from contented cows
pen and ink and wash over pencil 35 x 27cm |
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Other Times, Other Manners
The Decline of Poetry and Romance in War |
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"Old Bill"
Full of determination and plum & apple |
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Old Bill reprimanding a smoking youth
pen & ink, with traces of pencil, on paper 32 x 26 cm |
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| Old Bill kneeling in front of the Cenotaph in Whitehall |
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| The "Hitlercopter" If the horizontal propeller stopped, the machine would fall vertically |
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That Sword.
How he thought he was going to use it-
- and how he did use it. |
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Telepathy
"Two minds with but a single thought." |
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The Thirst For Reprisals
" 'And me rifle, someone. I'll give these ---'s 'ell for this!" |
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The Things that Matter.
Scene: Loos, during the September offensive. |
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| The Innocent Abroad. |
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"The Imminent, Deadly Breach"
" Mind you don't fall through the seat of your trousers, "Arry!" |
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The Communication Trench
Problem - Whether to walk along the top and risk it, or do another mile of this |
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To Commander Saxton R.N. All the best from Old Bill, Bruce Bairsfather
Perhaps it's as well that Old Bill was not in the Navy
pencil & crayon on brown paper 34 x 25.5 cm |
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Thoroughness.
"What time shall I call you in the morning, sir?"
(Colonel Chutney, V.C., home on short leave, decides to keep in touch with dug-out life.) |
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Things That Matter
Colonel Fitz-Shrapnel receives the following message from "G.H.Q." "Please let us know, as soon as possible, the number of tins of raspberry jam issued to you last Friday." |
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There Was a Young Man of Cologne
(I've forgotten the rest of the poem, but it's something about "a bomb" and "if only he'd known") |
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| "There goes our blinkin' parapet again." |
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| Untitled: Two soldiers, one of whom appears to be Old Bill, are snowed in. A nearby signpost humorously suggests the location is Russia |
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Ullo from Old Bill
pencil on paper 23.5 x 19 cm |
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| "Where did that one go to?" |
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What's he doing now?
pencil & watercolour 37 x 25.5 cm |
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| What's all this about unmarried men? |
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Well, if yer knows a Better Club go to it
(probably a club or restaurant menu or invitation) |
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War!
- As it is for most of us
This interesting view for 6 months.... or
This for half an hour |
Small Series:
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