WW1 Paintings of Wyndham Lewis
One of the Notable Persons who served as a Gunner in WW1 was artist Wyndam Lewis.
In 1914, Lewis formed the Vorticism movement, a modernist art style inspired by cubism with bold lines and harsh colours.
LEWIS WYNDHAM - SELF PORTRAIT
Wyndham was also a writer and the ideas of Vorticism as rebel artists challenging the norm were published in BLAST, the first issue BLAST: The Review of the Great English Vortex, was published in July 1914, just before the outbreak of the First War. The magazine and the Vorticism movement was short lived, within a year leading advocates of the movement enlisted in the Armed Forces or were undertaking war work [IWM - The Vorticists]. A second, and final edition, of BLAST was published in July 1915.
BLAST - WAR NUMBER - July 1915
Wyndham Lewis enlisted as a gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery in January 1916. After basic training he was posted to 183 Seige Battery in Weymouth pending the Battery moving to the Western Front. He applied for a commission which following a period of officer training he received in December 1916.
Wyndham Lewis Royal Garrison Artillery
Posted to 330 Siege Battery he and the battery personnel arrived in France in May 1917. The 330th personnel manned 7.5 inch guns of the Heavy Artillery attached to the Royal Naval Siege Guns Group.
After a brief assignment to 224 Siege Battery, Lewis re-joined 330 SB in August 1917. 330 Siege Battery re-equipped with 6 inch Mark XIX guns in September, deploying to Ypres sector where the Third Battle of Ypres was in progress. Whilst on leave in England in November 1917, Lewis joined a war-art program run by the Canadian Government. He returned to France serving as an official war artist with the Canadian War Memorials Scheme.
After the war Wyndham Lewis exhibited his paintings in a one man exhibition entitled Guns.
WORLD WAR ONE PAINTINGS OF WYNDAM LEWIS
War Artist Percy Wyndham Lewis
Officers and Signallers
A Battery Position in a Wood
A Battery Shelled
A Canadian Gun Pit
Wyndham Lewis tried to revive the Vorticism movement, but post war Britain was a difficult time for artists, and his efforts failed. in the 1920's he turned to writing but fell out of favour due to his association with the British Union of Fascists.
In 1937 he published an account of his war time experiences "Blasting and Bombardiering - An autobiography (1914-1918)"
Edited by ianjonesncl
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