Portrait of Eric Thake, painting in his studio. Eric Prentice Anchor Thake was born in Auburn, ...

Portrait of Eric Thake, painting in his studio. Eric Prentice Anchor Thake was born in Auburn, Vic in 1904. Before the Second World War he was apprenticed to a process engraving company and worked as a commercial artist during 1925 and 1926. He attended night classes at the National Gallery School, Melbourne in 1922 and from 1925 to 1928 he studied part time with George Bell. Thake enlisted in November 1943 as 145552 Pilot Officer Thake and worked as a draughtsman until his appointment to the RAAF Historical Section as a war artist in 1944. He was discharged from the RAAF on 28 March 1946 with the rank of Flying Officer. He returned to a civilian artist's life, completing a variety of commissions for postage stamps, museum murals, medical illustrator and designer. He died in 1982 aged 78 years.