WORK OF AN ANZAC ARTIST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2783, 30 May 1916, Page 3

WORK OF AN ANZAC ARTIST

i ■' —■" We hav.e read much, and we are likely, to read more, concerning the ill-starred .campaign in Gallipoli; but all that wo have read, or are likely to read, will probably tail entirely to enable those devoid of personal knowledge of tho Peninsula to really grasp tho formidable pliysical- conditions which barred that mucli- . advertised routo to Constantinople, writes thc> London correspondent of the Auckland "Star." For a fuller realisation of . them we have had to wait for the artist, and the series of K) water-colour and pen. oil sketches now on view in the handsome ; .vestibule of tho New Zealand Government offices "ill the Strand gives the lay- ' man a real chance to comprehend the hopelessness of the, "Gallipoli Gamble"— especially in view of tho light thrown upon them by a perusal of Sir C. Monro's trenchant dispatch giving his all-suffi-cient reasons for: ovacuating tho Peninsula, which found bolated publication this week. .

The pictures in question are the wors of • Sapper Horace Moore-Jones, <jf . the New Zealand Engineers, who was attaclied to the Army Corps headquarters as artist. He has well justified his selection for this position, and has produced a series «f extraordinarily interesting drawings, though, the sketches in' the niain have considerable pictorial charm—indeod, some of them are very beautiful—it is us faithful reeouls oi' the topography of Amsaa und neighbourhood and of tho nylitary advantage taken or its conformation that the sapper's water-colour and pencil notes claim'attention. Ho presents us with views of all the places hitherto made familiar to us by written stories of great gallantry. Wo see the famous Anzac Cove, where the landing was effected; ■up on the heights he shows us Plugge's , Plateau, Walker's and Dead ; Man's Hidges, and the Sphinx, with *art Bait, . the ; big prize, , towering over all. The Sphinx accounted for tunny lives before its secret 1 was discovered. High up oh the. perpendicular end of a ridge a huge piece of rock like a pillar stands, and between it-and the cliff is a cleft into which a. Turk had been lowered with a month's supply of ammunition and , food. . From this eyrie he sniped and spied unseen, and when the New Zealandws captured the ridge the Turk was found dead of numerous wounds, his comrades having fled without hoisting him from his hiding place. Views of Shrapnel Gully, Bloody Angle, Scimitar Hill. Chunuk Bair, and Suvla Bay;'of the Olive Grove, from which the Turks safely enfiladed the Australian positions below Lone Pine.Hill; of Gaba Tepe, whose guns were never silenced, and distant glimpses of Achi- Baba, recall Btirring, but alas! unavailing battles, and arouse feelings of pride mingled with poignant regrets.

•> There are many other sketches worthy of study, both from an artistic ( and a martial point of ' view, notably, the "Turkish Position in May, 1815," and various places in the Anzac lines. But, fascinating as- the artist's "work is, the chief impression left by his comprehensive little exhibition can be.summed np in the words,'"The folly of it all." For this Gallipoli adventure was folly, pure and simple. Host of us liaTdly needed Sir Charles Monro's dispatch,to convince us of- that; liis report only' serves to emphasise the conclusions we had alreadydrawn' from the highly - censored matter furnished by. special correspondents, and soldiers' letters from the scene of opera-, tions. '

Sapper. Moore-Jones's sketcliesvare not for sale, .but a first series of ten of them' is to'be, published in colour at, a ; cost of £5 55., by Messrs.:. Hugh ■' Rees, .. of Regent. Street.: Concerning .this "'matter the London "Morning Post" says!—" This; memento of a great episode should bo

prized, not only by Australians and New Zealanders, but by people throughout the Empire. Wo dare-say the Now Zealand Government will retain the original drawings. If they do not, it would be a recognition of noble service and colonial art were the National.Art-Collecting Fund to raise a subscription to purchase all these drawings for presentation to the British Aiuseuin or South Kensington."