Hot day in the office, Military History Headquarters, Changi Accession Number: ART23375

Description

Ernest Buckmaster was born in Hawthorn, Melbourne on July 3 1897. After being rejected for military service due to his physical frailty Buckmaster attended the National Gallery Art School from 1918-24. Ernest Buckmaster was first offered a position as an official war artist on January 20 1945, following the recommendation of the previous Director of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales, James Stuart Macdonald, though he did not accepted his appointment until August 24 1945, following the completion of a commission in New Zealand. Due to his age of 48 and poor health Buckmaster was not enlisted in the army and was accredited as a war correspondent. Despite being commissioned to paint the Japanese surrender, after a lengthy process preparing to be transported to Singapore, Buckmaster, along with a group of correspondents and photographers arrived two days after the surrender ceremony.

This painting shows VX151701 Sergeant B Reddaway, 10 Military History Section Field Team, with 2 Australian Prisoner-of-War Reception Group in Singapore to repatriate Australian ex-prisoners-of-war, is shown at work typing captions for photographs he has taken of conditions at Changi and various incidents at the Camp.

Details

Conflicts

• Second World War, 1939-1945

Places

• Changi

Units

• Military History Section

Tags

• Portrait collection (Art)