With the tunnellers near Nieuport

Depicts a group of Australian soldiers (tunnellers). One is seated and reading a letter, while another three are seated and playing cards. One tunnellers stands, wearing a tin helemt, his head resting wearily on his left hand. Dyson, along with Charles Bean, visited the location near Ypres, where the First Australian Tunnelling Company had operated for seven months prior to Messines. At Hill 60 there had been extensive German mining activity for the Australian tunnellers to counter. 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.