Artist Profiles

Frank Hodgkinson
1919-2001

Frank Hodgkinson, the younger brother of Roy, was born on 23 April 1919. He studied at the Royal Art Society of New South Wales while supporting himself by producing illustrations for magazines.

He enlisted in the AIF in May 1940 and left for the Middle East in October. In 1941, he was promoted to sergeant and worked as the assistant editor on the Memorial's first army Christmas annual, Active Service. He contributed black and white drawings to illustrate this publication, many of which are now in the Memorial's art collection.

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Frank Hodgkinson
Ruins of the oil refinery, Balikpapan
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From 1942 to 1943, he served in New Guinea on the Kokoda Track and was mentioned in despatches in 1943. In an unofficial capacity, Hodgkinson made drawings of the difficult conditions that Australian soldiers encountered. The Memorial acquired three of these drawings in the 1980s.

In 1944, Hodgkinson was promoted to lieutenant and placed in charge of the 7th Military History Field Team, attached to Headquarters 7th Australian Division. Field Teams were responsible for the coordination of the collection of information and items for the Memorial. During this time, Hodgkinson continued to find time to paint and draw the men and activities around him.

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Frank Hodgkinson
Oerlikon gunners
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In March 1945, he was appointed as an official war artist attached to the 7th Australian Division. His works record the 7th Division's embarkation from North Queensland in late May 1945, their weeks at sea on the way to Morotai, and their amphibious assault and fighting on Balikpapan, Borneo in July 1945. These works capture the troops' sense of frustration at the weeks of enforced inactivity on board and the frantic energy of the assault on Balikpapan. As a war artist, Hodgkinson placed himself in the front line. This is borne out in the immediacy and veracity of his works depicting the Australian infantry in close contact with the enemy as they fought their way inland.

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Frank Hodgkinson, Melbourne, 1944.
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In comparison with other official war artists, Hodgkinson served for a relatively short term and was restricted to only one theatre of war. He was, however, prolific during this period, and completed over 41 paintings and drawings of a high standard for the Memorial's collection. Hodgkinson's coverage of the Borneo campaigns is not unique; several other official war artists were also in this area, including Donald Friend, George Browning and Douglas Watson. Hodgkinson's subject matter complements the work of these other official war artists.