Life on the Jamestown line
For the Australians serving on the Jamestown line during the ‘static war’ period of the Korean War ‘It was a life of patrolling and raids, wiring, mining, of being constantly shelled and mortared and fighting off local enemy attacks … There was a steady build-up of casualties. It was dangerous, onerous and lacked the excitement of significant achievement...’ [Lieutenant Colonel Frank Hassett, Commanding Officer 3RAR]
Official war artist Ivor Hele (1912-1993) vividly depicted this life and men of the Royal Australian Army Regiments in his drawings and paintings.
Hele was an academically trained figurative artist who excelled at portraiture. Already Australia’s longest serving official war artist[1] he arrived in Korea knowing exactly the type of images the Memorial expected. Frustrated to have missed the major battles of 1951 he focused on the men and their daily activities, making over 70 sketches in pencil, pen and ink, carbon, and crayon for the Memorial’s collection.
[1] Hele was appointed as an Australian official war artist during the Second World War. Commissioned in 1941 he worked for the Memorial for the next ten years.
Digging and wiring
Digging and wiring (1952, Korea, pen and sepia ink on paper, 38 x 56 cm)
Wiring slope
Wiring slope (9th May 1952, Korea, red conte crayon, charcoal on paper, 56.1 x 37.9 cm) AWM
Dug-out, Hill 210
Dug-out, Hill 210, (Korea, 19 June 1952, charcoal, crayon, white gouache on paper, 37.8 x 27.7 cm)
Battalion regimental aid post
Battalion regimental aid post (24 June 1952, Korea, red conte crayon, carbon pencil on paper, 37.8 x 56.1cm)
Radio set 88
Radio set 88 (1952, Korea, red conte crayon, charcoal on paper, 37.3 x 56.1 cm)
Leaving the Lozenge feature
Leaving the Lozenge feature (6 June 1952, carbon pencil, pencil on paper, 45.9 x 29.7 cm)
South Korean workmen
South Korean workmen (1952, Korea, pen and brush and sepia ink, white gouache, carbon pencil on paper, 29.1 x 41.4 cm)
Corporal Sydney James McLaughlan
Corporal Sydney James McLaughlan (15 May 1952, Korea, carbon pencil on paper, 56.1 x 37.9 cm) AWM ART40368
Bren gunner
Bren gunner (June 1952, pen and brush and sepia ink on paper, 21.2 x 28.6 cm)
Swimming in the Imjin River
Swimming in the Imjin River (13 July 1952, Imjin River, Jamestown Line Area, Korea, carbon pencil, black pencil, brown gouache, wash, white crayon on paper)