Canadian Military History

Volume 19 Issue 4 Article 6

2010

Donald Kenneth Anderson Officialar W Artist (1920-2009)

Hugh Halliday

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This Canadian War Museum is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. : Donald Kenneth Anderson Official War Artist (1920-2009)

Donald Kenneth Anderson Official War Artist (1920-2009)

Hugh Halliday

rtistic circles may not reverberate for during the Second World War November 1942, the National Gallery Awith the name of Donald Anderson was an official artist for of Canada staged an exhibition Kenneth Anderson but for nearly the RCAF.2 of RCAF graphic art featuring 60 years millions of people have Born in Toronto on 6 June 1920, illustrations, poster designs, crests, viewed his work. Aircrew candidates he was educated in that city. At and cartoons done by Booth and passing through No.1 Initial Training Danforth Technical School he took his staff. The Ottawa Citizen of 17 School (No. 1 ITS), Toronto, often special art training, and from 1938 to November described this show in sat in a Link trainer surrounded 1940 he attended the Ontario College glowing terms; the article described by a landscape mural painted by of Art. When not studying, he worked Anderson’s contributions as follows: Anderson. In the early 1980s, his as a canoeing instructor, lifeguard, artwork appeared on the record and swimming instructor. From Sergeant Anderson does graphic sleeves of Spitfire Band, a Canadian September 1940 to January 1941 he illustrations that are crisp in colour dance band, while Maclean’s of 12 worked as a commercial artist for a and smoothly drawn and bring out September 1983 had on its cover company that had few contracts. The the drama as well as the technical Anderson’s representation of Soviet only important ones he completed details of the airman’s life. Among fighters shooting down Korean were for No. 1 ITS (discussed above) these are such items as “Last Minute Airlines Flight 007. The Canadian and for the main lobby of Toronto’s Conference” and “Tail-End Charlie.” War Museum (CWM) has custody YMCA. But it is as a portraitist that this of more than 100 of his artworks, Anderson enlisted in the RCAF in April 1941. Initially he underwent Résumé : Au début des années 1980, Abstract: In the early 1980s, Hugh training as a radio mechanic. While Hugh Halliday, ancien conservateur Halliday, a former Curator of War Art at showing no particular aptitude for d’art au Musée canadien de la guerre, the Canadian War Museum, wrote an that, he was recognized for his artistic rédigea un imposant compte-rendu extensive account on Donald Anderson’s des années de guerre de la carrière de wartime career. It was based on research skills. He therefore ceased training, Donald Anderson. Son essai s’appuyait he uncovered following correspondence went to RCAF Headquarters (AFHQ) sur la correspondance de l’artiste and conversations with the artist, whom in Ottawa (September 1941), and was demeurée inédite et des entrevues he had recently located. The article reclassified to general duties (January qu’il avait eues avec lui et qu’il vient was never published and exists in 1942). On 1 February 1942, the RCAF de retracer. Il n’a jamais été publié : typewritten and hand-edited form in the il se trouve, sous forme manuscrite Canadian War Museum’s (CWM) artist promoted him from aircraftman et en version dactylographiée, dans file for Anderson.1 The edits appear second class to sergeant. le dossier d’Anderson conservé au to be in response to Anderson’s own At AFHQ Anderson found his MCG.1 Les annotations composent la comments on the piece. This document niche in the air force. He was assigned substance de l’article nécrologique forms the substance of this obituary for sur le dernier survivant des peintres de to the Art Section of the Directorate Canada’s last surviving Royal Canadian guerre membres de l’Aviation royale Air Force (RCAF) official Second World of Public Relations, working under du Canada durant la Seconde Guerre War artist. Squadron leader H. H. Booth. In mondiale.

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Donald Kenneth Anderson – Dave Harling leader of No.416 Squadron takes off with wide-open throttle - Jan. 1 1945, Evère, Belgium. CWM 19710261-1242

Donald Kenneth Anderson – After five years. https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol19/iss4/650 2

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Clockwise from right: Donald Kenneth Anderson – LAW K. Edmundson Flying Officer J.H. Symons

Flight Lieutenant George Frederick Buzz Beurling, DSO, CWM 19710261-1327 DFC, DFM and bar CWM 19850079-001 CWM 19710261-1377

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artist is at his best, and highly June 1942, he recommended the Last Train to Leicester Square, plus commendable are his characteristic young man for a commission, noting a portrait of Squadron Leader K. portraits of Squadron Leader Booth, that he was “an artist of real talent R. Sangster). In September, he was the drawings in charcoal of the and shows promise.” Again, on 26 dispatched north to Banff, Scotland, Saarbrucken air crew, and a pastel October, he praised Anderson for there to do a series of watercolours portrait of Pilot Officer George his “willingness to do his part,” and illustrating the work of No. 404 Beurling. suggested that the RCAF employ his Squadron then engaged in anti- talents with an assignment to Wings shipping strikes. These works include The Ottawa Journal was equally magazine, or with a special tour Collision in Circuit, Beaufighter, Return generous in praising Anderson’s of duty to Gander, Goose Bay, the from a Strike off the Norwegian Coast, contributions while describing Aleutians, or overseas. T for Tommy gets I D at No. 2 Hangar, paintings that have since disappeared. Indeed, Anderson did draw a YMCA Tea Car, Bomb Dumps, and That paper reported: stretch of temporary duty at Gander Right After Breakfast. He also did from 27 December 1943 to 15 January portraits of two pilots in No. 404 – Probably the autographed portrait 1944, and in March 1944 he was Flying Officers J. R. Savard and J. of Pilot Officer George Beurling promoted to flight sergeant. In the H. Symons and of Corporal M. J. will receive the most attention of spring of 1944, he was assigned to Gillman, a member of the squadron’s Sergeant Donald K. Anderson’s the air historian, Group Captain photo section. He began some of work, the face with its high K.B. Conn. A visit to Camp Borden these works on site, completing them cheekbones and piercing eyes. yielded several fine studies of air on his return to London. “Last Minute Conference” shows a personnel and Harvard aircraft, His next assignment was to No.64 bomber crew pouring over a chart plus a striking portrait of Leading Base, Croft, Yorkshire, the home of on the beam of a flash light, the big Airwoman K. Edmundson. Nos.431 and 434 Squadrons. These ship shadowy in the background. Abruptly, service needs thrust units were part of No.6 Group, His presentation of the Spad single him into new circumstances. On Bomber Command, mounting seater fighter will interest those 8 July, Conn urged that Anderson relentless attacks on German targets. who fought in the RAF from 1917 be commissioned as an official war He was attached to Croft from 23 to 1918. He is responsible for a artist and be dispatched overseas October to 13 November 1944 during series of character studies of the immediately. With the western front which time he painted portraits crew which flew to Ottawa from opening up, RCAF activities rapidly including LAC Roger Lacroix. To these Saarbrucken. were becoming more diverse. He was were added operational subjects made a pilot officer (the position was with a very human touch – The “Handley Page Hampdens over backdated to 3 July), and on 13 July Kibitzers, The Skonk Holler: Ground the Target” and “Tail-End Charlie he was classified as administration Mechanics Dispersal Hut, No Flying Gets His Man” focus attention on (general, non-flying list), a category Today, Nissen Hut, Interior, Halifax the rear gunner of the crew, in the that included most air force artists. Take- Off and Waiting for Bombers’ latter bringing down an enemy On 3 August, he sailed from Halifax, Return. Air Marshal C. M. McEwen, ‘plane in the light of the prodding arriving in Britain on the 10th. who commanded No.6 Group, vetoed fingers of numerous searchlights. For the whole of his overseas his attempt to go on a raid. posting, lasting until August Anderson’s return to London The RCAF retained few of these 1945, Anderson was nominally on was brief; on 11 December he was works. Handley-Page Hampdens over the strength of RCAF Overseas sent to Europe for attachment to the Target was found in 1978 and Headquarters. It was a location No.127 Wing, a Spitfire formation donated to the CWM. he seldom saw, for his duties consisting of Nos.403, 416, and 421 During his stay at Public encompassed much of the United Squadrons. He would remain with Relations, Anderson twice attempted Kingdom and into Europe. that organization until June 1945, to remuster to aircrew; both He began in London with witnessing the static winter war, the applications were turned down. The watercolours that reflected his recent crossing of the Rhine, and the final fact that he fell off a Link trainer travels (Officers’ Quarters aboard Troop advance into Germany. may not have helped his cause. Ship and Troop Ship Arrival, Port of Of all the incidents witnessed by His superior, Squadron Leader Liverpool) and present circumstances Anderson, the most spectacular was Booth, valued him greatly. On 29 (Robot Bomb over St. Paul’s Cathedral; probably the German air attacks on

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Clockwise from above: Donald Kenneth Anderson – Beaufighter Robot Bomb over St. Paul’s Cathedral Bomb Dumps Nazi Pilot The Last Days of the Third Reich No.1 CWM 19710261-1366 CWM 19710261-1345 CWM 19710261-1310 CWM 19710261-1349

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Allied airfields at dawn on 1 January painting of that hell-hole is not as an RCAF truck passes workmen 1945 – the so-called “Hangover Raid.” particularly strong but it should repairing a road. The Last Days of the He painted six works dealing with be recalled that the camp had been Third Reich No. 1, ironically pictures the aftermath – firefighters hosing liberated by that time and burials and two brutish-looking Germans wearing down burning machines and the improvements had to some degree Red Cross armbands while newly- wrecks of German aircraft shot down moderated the impact its horrors liberated Russian slave labourers that day. might formerly have had on him. salute a Canadian road convoy. War, Less famous, but equally Anderson did one work showing Conquerors not Liberators, and Early dramatic was a 10 January 1945 No. 127 Wing personnel watching Evening, Germany vividly illustrate incident. An American B-17 Flying a V-1 pass overhead, bracketed by the physical and spiritual devastation Fortress crashed at Evère, Belgium, anti-aircraft fire. He also executed of Germany. Non-Fraternization shows skidding into a hangar filled with two paintings dealing with the Rhine mutual hostility between Canadian Anson aircraft before exploding in a crossings of March 1945. Assorted airmen and German women; it fireball as 3,000 pounds of bombs and watercolours depicted Spitfires contrasts sharply with Dutch Refugees hundreds of litres of gas went up in at readiness, an anti-aircraft gun where human relationships are being a thunderous “whoosh.” Anderson, crew, and a wrecked 88 mm gun developed in a bleak landscape. standing feet away, was bowled abandoned by the enemy during their After the war Anderson worked over but unhurt. He subsequently retreat. His paintings show the litter as a commercial artist in Montreal captured the moment in The Day around Evère airfield; war was a very for 20 years before relocating to a Flying Fort Landed. One work untidy business. Toronto where he worked largely in completed at Diepholz, Germany on Several portraits of No. 127 Wing advertising. In 1990, the Canadian 21 April 1945 is particularly poignant. personnel emerged as well from this Association of Photographers and After Five Years shows former Allied period – Flying Officers Larry Spurr Illustrators in Communications gave prisoners of war waiting to be flown and Daniel Wegg, Squadron Leader him a lifetime achievement award. to Britain. Anderson wrote on the H. Zary, and Leading Aircraftman H. He retired to northern Ontario in back of the painting: Russel. chosen solitude leaving a witnessed However, his most striking war record of significance. He died They were a pathetic sight, some works with the wing dealt with the near Toronto on 11 May 2009. clad in lice-infested blankets, some seemingly mundane subjects that with gangrenous wounds wrapped meant a great deal to RCAF personnel in dirty cloth, very few had their of all ranks. As a mobile wing, Notes original uniforms. They wore No.127 had to be able to pack all its German boots, German coats, hats equipment and be ready to move 1. The material cited is also found in these made of discarded socks which were in two hours. Some paintings, like files. 2. Works referred to in the main text are in fashioned by toothbrushes cut down Moving Day , show the truck convoys the CWM’s collection. to make needles. Some were RCAF used to transfer these formations. personnel shot down on the first Others show the men cooking and bomber raids on Essen, Hamburg, eating in primitive field conditions veterans of the infamous Stettin – Hard Living, After Tea, and Pig for Hugh Halliday served with the Air camp, where the sadistic guards Dinner. Church Service, Easter, depicts Historian and Directorate of History and slashed at them with bayonets while a shivering little congregation in a Heritage (1961-68), taught at Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology they ran with packs shouldered and bare hut. (1968-1974) and held various posts at hands behind their backs. The whole Above all else, Anderson caught the Canadian War Museum (1974-1995). Although best known for his aviation feeling of these men can be seized up the sullen, resentful attitudes books and articles, he is also the author when an RAF Sergeant murmured to of Germans at war’s end, some of Wreck! Canada’s Worst Railway Accidents me, “Do I seem strange?” still haughty, others resigned to (Robin Brass Studio, 1997) and Murder Nazi Pilot Among Gentlemen: A History of Duelling defeat. , completed at No. in Canada (Robin Brass Studio, 1999). Some time in April or May, he 127 Wing’s detention centre on 6 His last book, Valour Reconsidered (Robin accompanied a truck that had been February 1945, shows a defiant Ju. Brass Studio, 2006) examined the politics and procedures associated with awards loaded with food parcels from No. 88 pilot whom the artist described of the Victoria Cross and other major 127 Wing personnel. The destination as being contemptuous of all things gallantry awards. was the German concentration camp not German. German Faces, Seen from at Bergen-Belsen. Anderson’s sole a Convoy is a study of blank stares

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