Korean War

During the Korean War, artists Ivor Hele and Frank Norton were recalled (having served in the Second World War) to again capture the work of Australian and Allied defence force members. Norton was largely carried on his depiction of the work of the Royal Australia Navy. Hele was sent to capture the work of No. 77 Squadron, RAAF, which had taken part in Allied attacks under No. 10 Operational Group in the Pacific. In July 1950, the squadron became the first non-American UN unit to commence operations.

One of Hele’s great talents was portraiture, and his works often capture the subtle details of their sitters. Here we have portraits of Pilot Officer William Simmonds MID, and Choi Wah Joon, the squadron’s houseboy.

Ivor Hele, Pilot Officer William Simmonds, red conte crayon and charcoal on paper, ART40347

Ivor Hele, Choi Wha Joon, red conte crayon and charcoal on paper, ART40346

Hele employed many of the skills that he used during the Second World War, completing compositions of men passing time between missions.

Ivor Hele, Playing Draughts Waiting for Flight, 1953, oil on canvas on hardboard, ART40321

Ivor Hele, Return from Flight, Locker Room, 1952, pen and brush and sepia ink, white gouache, pencil on paper, ART40360

Here Hele depicts a flight of Gloucester Meteors – one of the most advanced Allied fighter aircraft available at the time, and one of the few worthy adversaries to the North Korean MiGs. Hele found it difficult to accurately capture the silver aircraft and depicts the men with drawn out expressions and figures reminiscent of works by the Mannerist artist El Greco.

Ivor Hele, Return of the Meteor Jets, Kimpo, Korea, 1953, oil on hardboard, ART40304

As a result of his deployment with the Royal Australian Navy, Frank Norton had the opportunity to paint aircraft. This is likely a Hawker Sea Fury being transferred from HMS Ocean to be towed to RAAF workshops at Iwakuni. Invasion stripes on the aircraft, first made famous during the Normandy invasions, were used in Korea by the Fleet Air Arm and the Australian Fleet Air Arm.