RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA L I A I SON L ETTER 2024 – 2025 E D I T I ON C ANNON BALL S UP PLEMENT 151 for him, delighted that he is in such splendid company at his final Wesley parade. Like Wesley, the Royal Australian Artillery appreciates the sterling service giving rise to this honour afforded Ross tonight. We compliment him by way of the simple approbation welcomed by Gunners when duty is done – Good Shooting, Ross. Thank you. Historic War Art Brigadier John Cox, AM (Retd) Chair, RAA Regimental History Committee & RAAHC Board History Member The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery is fortunate to possesses a rare and significant item of war art. In 2025 the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the original memorial, at Mont St Quentin, France, on which the May Butler- George relief was mounted will occur. The Relief is held in storage at the School of Artillery. It is an eye-catching piece, over 1.2m wide, and deserves to be displayed. The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery is fortunate to possesses a rare and significant item of war art gifted to the Regiment. In 2025 the original memorial will be 100 years old. Background In 2022, a distinctive artist’s plaster relief was recorded as held in store at the School of Artillery at Puckapunyal. What is the provenance and significance of the plaster relief, known as ‘Bringing Up The Guns – August 1918’? The School of Artillery (Bridges Barracks – Puckapunyal) is the owner of a 1.4m wide plaster relief of significance. It is related to one of two cast bronze reliefs that were originally mounted on the 2nd Australian Division Memorial at Mont St Quentin in France. The 2nd Australian Division Memorial was dedicated in 1925. Unfortunately, the Memorial was desecrated and dismantled by the Germans in World War Two. The Memorial was rebuilt with modifications and re-dedicated in 1971. The original bronze reliefs are by the artist May Butler-George. The function of a plaster relief as a ‘pattern’ in the process of the casting of a bronze panel is: • First, an artist would usually prepare sketches of the scene they intend to depict in a bronze panel relief. The two-dimensional sketches are the basis for the development of a three-dimensional depiction, that is, a ‘relief’. • The artist ‘sculpts’ a plaster base to create a three-dimensional image to scale of how the bonze will appear. It is the artist’s central creative effort. It is the pattern for the bronze.