Oil on paper (12 inches x 5 inches), signed "J.T. Campbell 1916".
This painting just might be a significant piece of World War I memorabilia. We first spotted it on sale at the Evandale Market about a year ago. The dealer ascribed it to a Tasmanian artist from the signature “J.T. Campbell 1916”. He called it “Middle Eastern Scene”. But such an ‘oriental’ scene seemed to me an unlikely subject to be painted in Tasmania. So I set to work. For the sake of brevity I won’t give you all the steps in my research, but these are my findings so far.
My hunch was that this was a work possibly painted by a serviceman in either Palestine or Egypt during operations there in 1916. But although we know of many examples of trench art, it seemed unlikely this would have been painted by someone engaged in battles. The Australian forces in this region at the time were represented by the Lighthorse Regiments (the last major battles featuring cavalry in any war). My thoughts were that this was painted by a young artist whilst in training and that the painting was then either sent home at the time or taken home after the war.
The best source of information is the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. I began to search their online records and to my surprise (and delight) I found a Private John Thomas (J.T.) Campbell, his service number 2323, his date of enlistment (19 July 1915) and his Regiment – the 7th Australian Lighthorse. He embarked on the ship HMAT Palermo on April 18 1916 and was sent to Egypt, specifically a training base at Tel el Kebir, and the Sinai Peninsula. This is significant because it places him in the region during 1916 and he may have found some recreational time to make the painting. I also found a photograph of the training base and on the horizon you can just make out a mosque and minarets not unlike the ones in the painting.
www.awm.gov.au/collection/C336602
Certainly not an absolute identification, but promising. There was also an undated photograph of the 7th Australian Lighthorse engaged in a camel trek from Kantara to El Arish.
www.awm.gov.au/collection/C204
This is significant of course, because of the camels in the painting. I wondered if Trooper Campbell was in the photo. But I also quickly discovered that Trooper J.T. Campbell’s records were stamped “K.I.A. 9 November 1917”. Then I found a third photograph of three graves of members of the 7th Lighthorse in the Gaza Cemetery. And there it was: 2323 Trooper Campbell, J.T., Killed in Action.
www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1264794 It was like discovering a death in the family.
I also learned that John Thomas Campbell was born at Greenwell Point in New South Wales. He was 18 at the time of embarkation, was 5’ 9’’ tall and weighed 168 lbs. His address at home was listed as Kinghorn Street, Nowra, New South Wales. His next of kin was listed as father, George Campbell. And he was baptised Church of England. [Please if anyone happens to know any descendants of the Campbells in Nowra, I would love to know.]
So although I have not been able to confirm with any certainty that “Middle Eastern Scene” was painted by Trooper J.T. Campbell, the circumstantial evidence so far is very promising. How the painting ended up in a barn in Tasmania before coming into the dealer’s hands is another question altogether. But it certainly doesn’t mean that the painting wasn’t completed in Egypt as I suspect.
In any case, this ANZAC Day April 25, we remember a brave young man sent into battle and who died far too young. He was only 19. A young man’s life with so much potential snuffed out (perhaps even an artistic career.) A young man whose remains lie this very day in the sands of Gaza.
Lest we forget, we will remember!
