King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

First World War

War Art - Sketches and Drawings

Watercolour of King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment Sergeant.  Drawn by Russell Sydney Reeve, February 1917.
Born in Norwich in 1895, Reeve briefly attended Norwich School of Art before training to be an architect in the Norwich City Engineers Department (1908-14).  Whilst serving with the Royal Engineers as a Lieutenant in France in 1917, he was noticed by Rothenstein and Kennington (both War Artists).  They both put his name forward to the Slade School of Art and he was offered a place there after the war, Russell attended the Slade (1919-22) under Henry Tonks and Philip Wilson Steer.  There he was awarded an Open Bursary and the Robert Ross Scholarship.  Although he lived in Hampstead and later at St. Johns Wood, he regularly travelled to Portugal and Spain where he received various commissions.
Accession Number KO1761/01  (Purchased in Lancaster without provenance, January 1990)

Watercolour of a Lewis Gun Number Two of the King's Own by Captain Albert E Ellwood MC in 1917.  It is understood that the soldier is a Private Ashmore of the 1st/4th Battalion, painted on 28th July 1917, when Captain Ellwood was serving with the Battalion, he transferred to the 1st/4th Battalion in September 1916.  Ellwood joined the 5th Battalion King's Own in 1914 and was Acting Captain from 20th September 1916 when he was transferred to the 1st/4th Battalion, with whom he was killed in action at Givenchy on 14th April 1918.  The 55th West Lancashire Divisional badge, the Red Rose of Lancaster on two stems of five leaves each, is clearly visible.
Accession Number KO2401/01

"Going In" by Captain Albert E Ellwood.  Indian ink on paper.
Accession Number KO2401/02

"Coming Out" by Captain Albert E Ellwood.  Indian ink on paper
Accession Number KO2401/03