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WORLD WAR 1
WORLD WAR 2
OTHER
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One
of the most popular representations of Old Bill
was as a car mascot - Bruce had one on his own
favourite Sunbeam car. They were made in chrome,
brass and bronze and the latter is faithfully
recreated by the Holts in heavy, high quality
resin with a convincing bronze finish. 11cms
high and with a baized base, this appealing
head makes an ideal gift, paper weight or ornament.
Price
£25.00 + £2.50 UK p+p
TO
BUY THE HEAD
CLICK
HERE
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Old Bill was the archetypal WW1
Tommy created by the inspired cartoonist, Capt
Bruce Bairnsfather of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
He served in the muddy trenches of 'Plugstreet Wood' in
the bitter winter of 1914-15 and out of his misery
was born one of the world's most famous cartoon
characters - the stoical soldier from the Midlands
that he decided to christen 'Old Bill'. |
Captain Bairnsfather in his studio |
Old Bill and his comrades Bert and Alf soon appeared
in cartoons in the Bystander magazine where they
became such an instant success that
their images were reproduced on pottery, postcards,
in his studio playing cards, prints etc. They
even appeared on the stage and on the screen bringing
world-wide fame to their creator, who was described
by Gen Sir Ian Hamilton as 'The Man Who Won the
War' |
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Coiffure in the Trenches |
Old Bill Stands By |
Jeeps and Jests |
When
WW2 broke out Bairnsfather revived Old
Bill in magazines and on the screen
(with John Mills as Young Bill). He
was then 'adopted' by the USAAF as their
officer cartoonist and wore a US uniform. |
More details of Bairnsfather's
amazing rise and fall career through
two World Wars is described in Tonie
and Valmai Holt's acclaimed biography,
In
Search of the Better 'Ole
which includes listings of his works.
For details of the Fundraising Campaign for Help for Heroes run in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of Bairnsfather's death in 2009 see www.bb4h4h.co.uk |
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Cover of the biography |
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2.
HELLFIRE CORNER DEMARCATION STONE
After the First World War the Touring
Clubs of Belgium and France commissioned the sculptor
Paul Moreau-Vauthier to design a suitable stone to mark
the position of the Germans' advance towards significant
towns and villages. Some 220 precise sites were chosen
by Gen Pétain. and his staff but it is thought
that 96 were actually erected in France and 22 in Belgium,
the money to fund them being raised by public subscription
and with donations from the Ypres League.
Expert Demarcation Stone researcher Rik
Scherpenberg has identified 72 in France (placed on
the front line of 18 July 1918) and 19 in Belgium still
in existence.
Contact: http://www.wra.be
e-mail: rik.scherpenberg@telenet.be
The first French Demarcation Stone was
placed in Château Thierry and the first Belgian
Demarcation Stone was unveiled in the Trenches of Death
at Diksmuide on Easter Sunday 1922 by King Albert of
the Belgians. Their Touring Club had raised the necessary
250,000 Francs for the erection of the Belgian stones.
It was a glorious occasion, with flags and garlands,
a huge crowd including many veterans and war wounded,
and, according to the magazine, Le Courrier de l’Armée,
‘vibrant’ speeches from the representatives
of the French and Belgian Touring Clubs. |
However the most famous Demarcation Stone was that
erected at the infamous Hellfire Corner
in the Ypres Salient.
The metre-high marker was made by the stone mason
Léon Telle in pink Alsace granite and bears
a Tommy's helmet.
Around its sides the words
'Here the Invader was brought to a standstill 1918'
are repeated in English, French and Flemish.
It is this stone that is faithfully reproduced by
Tonie and Valmai Holt. 15cms high made of Heavy, high
quality resin with the look, colour and feel of the
original soapstone 1920s souvenir reproduction.
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The
Demarcation Stone
Price £15.00
+ £2.50 UK p+p |
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St.Mihiel:
Camp des Romains |
Villers
Bretonneux Stone |
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