Tin hat

Place Africa: North Africa, Libya
Accession Number ART22872
Collection type Art
Measurement Sheet: 34 cm x 27.8 cm; Image: 29.2 x 26.6 cm
Object type Work on paper
Physical description charcoal on paper
Maker Hele, Ivor
Place made North Africa: Libya
Date made May 1941
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Portrait of an unidentified soldier from the 2nd Australian Imperial Force, wearing a protective tin helmet, during the North African campaign.

Hele was serving as a private in the AIF, when in January 1941 he was commissioned in the field by General Blamey and given the task of depicting the activities of Australians in North Africa. His appointment was made official in October 1941. From June 1943 until the end of the Second World War Hele worked in a number of locations in Northern Australia and New Guinea, holding his commission until 1947. Hele was again commissioned an official war artist , with the rank of Major, during the Korean War. From 1953 he executed a number of portrait and painting commissions for the Australian War Memorial and in 1969 was awarded a CBE for his services to art.