MILITARY COMMEMORATIVE PRINT
1990A landscape print of a painting of Russell's Top and the Sphinx with a white border, mounted on an M.D.F. board. Text on lower left reads [Horace Moore-Jones The Sphinx: Entrance to trenches on Russell's Top from south west.]. Text on lower right reads [Australian War Memorial (3222).] .
There is a gold-coloured plaque centralised on the lower edge which reads [PRESENTED BY / THE RETURNED SERVICES LEAGUE ARMADALE SUB-BRANCH / TO COMMEMORATE THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF GALLIPOLI / _ ANZAC DAY 1990 _ ].
Has number 1 written on the back.
The now Returned & Services League (R.S.L.) was initially called the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia (R.S.S.I.L.A.). It was formed nationally by World War 1 veterans in 1916 to provide support for veterans returned from military service. By 1919 or 1920 a sub-branch was formed in Armadale.
In 1990 the Armadale branch of the R.S.L donated a series of prints of paintings from the 1915 ANZAC campaign to the City of Armadale to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing.
This is a print of Horace Moore-Jones - The Sphinx: Entrance to trenches on Russell's Top from south west.Russels Top and the Sphinx are two features of the terrain at Gallipoli named by Australia and New Zealand Army Corp (A.N.Z.A.C.) soldiers during the battles there. The Sphinx was named by A.N.Z.A.C. troops. Russels Top was named after Brigadier Andrew Russel who used the elevation provided by the spot for his headquarters and artillery placements.
Horace Moore-Jones was a New Zealand artist and soldier who served at Gallipoli as a sapper then war artist before being discharged in 1916. During his time recovering from wounds he painted scenes of Gallipoli. His works would later be acquired by several organisations relating to the war and art, including the Australian War Memorial, and Auckland City Gallery.
