| Place | Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Bapaume Cambrai Area, Bullecourt, Vaulx-Vraucourt |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART02208 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | sheet: 58 x 47.6 cm (irreg.); image: 58 x 47.6 cm |
| Object type | Work on paper |
| Physical description | charcoal, wash, pencil on paper |
| Place made | France |
| Date made | 1917 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Vaulx Wood waggon post
Description
Depicts four stretcher bearers carrying wounded soldier towards an ambulance, near a wood in north western France. The stretcher bearers on the left are wearing leather leggings, so are probably the drivers from the vehicle. The soldiers are likely to have been involved in fighting the German offensive, on the Western Front. It is likely that Dyson drew this image on the Somme between March and April 1917.
Will Dyson was the first Australian official war artist to visit the front during the First World War, travelling to France in December 1916, remaining there until May 1917, making records of the Australian involvement in the war. He was formally appointed as an official war artist, attached to the AIF, in May 1917, working in France and London throughout the war. His commission was terminated in March 1920.