| Place | Approximate locations: At sea, Nearest landform, At sea (off Korean coast) |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART40040 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | Sheet: 32.3 x 41.8 cm |
| Object type | Work on paper |
| Physical description | watercolour, carbon pencil, pen and ink on grey paper |
| Maker |
Norton, Frank |
| Place made | At sea |
| Date made | August 1952 |
| Conflict |
Korea, 1950-1953 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
HMAS Bataan escaping from typhoon Karen
Description
A view of typhoon 'Karen' from the deck of the Royal Australian Navy destroyer HMAS Bataan in high seas, with unidentified ships on the horizon.
On 7th August 1952 official war artist Frank Norton left HMAS Commonwealth aboard the British air craft carrier HMS Ocean. He planned to observe part of her 10 day patrol before joining HMAS Comdamine. However HMAS Condamine was further up the west coast than anicipated and instead the artist was transferred at sea to HMAS Bataan (via helicopter to HMS Newcastle then at sea to the destroyer) on her last Korean patrol.
In a letter to the Director of the Memorial in September 1952 Norton recalled 'The day after joining "Baatan", all ships on the coast were forced out to sea by Typoon "Karen" - and rode out - the backlash of the storm. (this is another watercolour drawing of course.)' Norton strove to convey a sense of the Korean coastal landscape and weather during patrols. In his letter he comments on the unpleasant conditions at sea caused by cramped living quarters and tropical weather.