First World War Framed Reproduction of “Faithful Unto Death” by William HATHERELL

The artwork “Faithful Unto death” depicts the bravery of 16 year old John 'Jack' Travers CORNWELL VC. CORNWELL was only 16 when he lost his life at the Battle of Jutland. His ship came under heavy fire and he was mortally wounded, but stayed steady at his post, ready to follow orders. It was this devotion to duty that earned him both the nation’s respect and a posthumous Victoria Cross.
Jack CORNWELL was born into a working-class family in Essex in January 1900. When he left school in 1913, he wanted to join the Royal Navy but he was too young but in July 1915, with Britain now at war, CORNWELL joined the Navy. He began his training as Boy 2nd Class at Keyham Naval Barracks, Devonport. The Navy suited him and he did well in his training, achieving high marks in gunnery and seamanship. In February 1916 CORNWELL became Boy (1st Class) and, on 1 May, he completed his training. The next day, he became part of the crew of HMS Chester, a newly-commissioned light cruiser which soon joined the fleet at Scapa Flow. At the end of that month, HMS Chester and CORNWELL both went into battle for the first time.
CORNWELL was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for remaining at his post at the forward 5.5 inch gun of the cruiser HMS Chester while severely wounded. The ship was badly shelled by four German cruisers and Cornwell's position was hit four times, killing all the gun crew apart from CORNWELL. The boy sailor was taken back to Grimsby where he died on 2 June 1916 where he died from his extensive wounds.
The artist is William HATHERELL was a painter of literary and sentimental genre, and illustrator. Born 18 October 1855 in London he studied at the Royal Academy of Arts (R.A.) 1877–9 and then exhibited both at the RA and Royal Watercolour Society ( R.W.S.) from 1879. He was made a member of the Society of Oil Painters in 1898 and an honorary member of the Langham Sketching Club in 1900. He was also a member of Bristol Academy of Fine Arts, 1903 and a member of the American Society of Illustrators, 1905. HATHERELL worked for Cassell's, who sent him to Australia to illustrate their 1890 book Picturesque Australia. He also illustrated many works by Thomas HARDY, William BLACK and J. M. BARRIE to name a few.