Air Gunner in Catalina blister (Flight Lieutenant Laurence Court)

Place Asia: Ceylon, Colombo
Accession Number ART23151
Collection type Art
Measurement Sheet: 32.8 cm x 41.8 cm
Object type Work on paper
Physical description charcoal with sanguine crayon and coloured washes on paper
Maker Hodgkinson, Roy
Date made 1945
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

The port gunner is firing his .5 automatic Browning which has a mechanical feed and is warding off an enemy aircraft on the port quarter. The unidentified starboard gunner is shown in a disabled state with the unidentified engineer coming to his assistance to give temporary medical aid. The gunner is wearing a Mae West (lifebelt) and the absence of parachute gear is due to the fact that the Catalina flying boat on patrol seldom operates above 2000 feet. The air gunner is 403801 Flight Lieutenant Lawrence Ashby Court, Royal Australian Air Force. Trained under Empire Air Training Scheme in Canada and posted to 205 Squadron at Koggala, Ceylon.