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 152 • The plaster pattern is placed in casting sand to create a reverse image of itself. • When the sand mould is set, the pattern is removed. • The sand mould cavity is filled with molten bronze. • The bronze is allowed to cool. • Finally, the sand mould is broken away and the bronze casting is removed and cleaned. • If the process has worked well, the three- dimensional image of the plaster relief pattern and the bronze will appear almost identical. School of Artillery, North Head From the late 1960’s, as far as the period has been able to be determined, the School of Artillery at North Head, Manly NSW displayed the plaster relief above the entrance door to the Gunner’s Mess in F Block. It has a close likeness to the original bronze on the 2nd Australian Division Monument in France. A video of the unveiling of the Monument is at: https://www.pond5.com/stock- footage/item/110401150-marshal-foch-unveils- memorial-2nd-australian-division The plaster relief, depicting Gunners straining in the act of bringing an 18 pounder into action amidst battle while a damaged aircraft plummets to earth. This plaster model is probably the artist’s original model that she made as the first step in the casting process of the well-known artillery bronze. .The signature of the artist: Connection with Brigadier LES Barker, CBE, DSO, MC What is the provenance of the plaster relief? If the relief was ‘copied’ for the restoration / rebuild the Monument in France around 1970, the plaster relief is probably a little over 60 years old. But it is most likely it is an original from the 1920’s when the 2nd Division Memorial was commissioned to be erected at Mont St Quentin, Peronne, France. The new 1970’s bronze is observably slightly different from the original. Lewis or Les Barker was an RMC artillery graduate who saw service with the 8th Field Artillery Brigade in 1916 on the Western Front. After the war Barker was the model for a plaster relief “Bringing up the Guns” by sculptor May Butler-George. He recounted around the time of his farewell from Army service in Adelaide in 1948 that he had a “permanent reminder of his Army life in a 5ft. plaster cast of the bronze artillery panel at the base of the Mont St. Quentin memorial in France”, and that the “panel, prepared by Melbourne artist Miss May Butler-George, shows, Australian soldiers, including Brigadier. Barker, grouped round a gun” (The Mail, November 20, 1948, page 27). From NLA Trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55899 754?searchTerm=May%20Butler-George# Barker died in 1981. Before his death it is known Barker generously gave two signal cannons(?) 1 and his sword to the School of Artillery. It is probable that Barker also gave the plaster relief to the School of Artillery at North Head in the 1960’s, however a record of the gifting is yet to be found. More about Barker may be read in Australian Dictionary Biography entry written by former Director of the Australian War Memorial Steve Gower (also a Gunner): https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barker-lewis- ernest-stephen-12175 Importantly, if the panel is from Barker, it suggests it is an original plaster relief by the artist. The presence of the artist’s signature suggests the relief could be the original. This should be able to be confirmed by an art expert. 1 Editor Note: One of these signal cannons donated by Brigadier LES Barker is held by 1st Regiment. It is on display in the foyer of the Regimental Headquarters. It is understood these were “captured” at Tobruk.