Great War Commemoration

I have had the honour to be commissioned by the Guildhall Museum Rochester to paint a commemorative work of the contribution played by the Medway towns in the First World War. The work will form part of the Museum's permanent collection.

After intensive research the subject I selected was the loss of three cruisers just seven weeks after war had been declared. Many of the crew came from the Medway towns and fifteen hundred men were lost when the three cruisers were torpedoed.

I chose not to depict the action in which the ships were lost, instead I chose to show them about to sail from the River Medway for the last time.

The painting was unveiled by the Mayor Councillor Barry Kemp and Mayoress of Medway Joyce Kemp.

Live Bait, 7th Cruiser Squadron, Chatham 1914

Unveiling at Guildhall Museum Rochester