Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Boesinghe, 1 September 1917
1917Watercolour painting with black ink detailing created by Leslie Horton Partridge in September 1917. It is held within a dark green mat with a gold, hand painted internal border. It is one of a series of 10 such artworks that depict scenes from his time in the military during and after World War One.
It features a soldier in khaki uniform with puttees, wearing his metal helmet. He is walking across a raised timber walkway above a body of water between a cream rendered or painted brick building with a timber and tile roof and the adjacent bank. There is a length of duckboard on the shore to facilitate walking through the mud. The left end of the house and houses even further to the left appear to show damage from the battle.
A couple of trees with green sprouts and a touch of blue green for the water add colour to the artwork which is otherwise in cream and sepia tones.
The title of the artwork 'Hell Fire Liz. Cottage, Boesinghe' is printed in upper case letters on the lower left, while the initials of the artist and the date are printed on the lower right.
The artwork has been done on a thin piece of paper which is attached to the reverse of the mat with tape on each of the four sides.
It would have originally been framed and glazed, but was removed to facilitate posting from the United Kingdom to Australia.
It closely resembles a photograph taken by Official British War Photographer, Lieutenant John Warwick Brooke, which is part of the Ministry of Information First World War Official Collection. It relates to the Battle of Passchendaele, July-November, 1917.
It is described as "Soldiers crossing a duckboard bridge over a small stream with damaged houses on far bank. Near Boezinge, 27 August, 1917."
It would appear that Leslie either saw and copied the photograph, or visited the same place five days after the photographer. It is interesting that the spelling of Boesinghe/Boezinge varies.
Boesinghe/Boezinge is a village a few miles north-west of Ypres in the Belgian province of West Flanders.
In World War One, Boesinghe was a strategically important location for both sides and was the site of numerous engagements and the construction of extensive trench systems, such as the Yorkshire Trench.
Leslie Horton Partridge was born on 10 March 1891 in Elmdon, Warwickshire, to Henry Horton Partridge and his wife, Florence Elizabeth Bond Evans. His father died when he was aged one and his mother when he was 22. By 1911, he was living in Lewisham, London and his occupation was listed as an assistant surveyor.
He married Mildred Evelyn Elizabeth Stacey in July 1913 at King's Norton, Warwickshire and their daughter, Muriel Horton Partridge, was born on 16 January 1915.
In World War One, he enlisted with the 67th Field Company of the Royal Engineers.The Field Companies of the Royal Engineers provided technical skill and know-how in support of the fighting units of the formation known as a Division.
When the expansion of the army was sanctioned in August 1914, it required four Armies each of six Divisions to have two Field Companies each.
The company that Leslie Horton Partridge joined was raised for the formation of Kitchener’s Armies, and was known as the First New Army, K1 67th Field Company, 11th (Northern) Division. They served firstly in the Gallipoli campaign, but when Leslie joined later in the war, they were operating in the France and Flanders regions.
Between 15 September 1916 and the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the 11th Division were positioned in Flers-Courcelette, Thiepval, Ancre Heights, Ancre, Messines, Langemarck, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Scarpe, Drocourt-Queant, Canal Du Nord, Cambrai, Selle, Valenciennes and Sambre.
The artworks in this collection were all created between September and November 1917, which corresponds to the battles associated with Menin Road through to Passchendaele. By this stage, Leslie was a commissioned officer - a Temporary Second Lieutenant - bestowed on 11 June 1917. This may explain the better level of accommodation he appears to be depicting. Alternatively, he may have had leave and stayed in or frequented local boarding houses, restaurants and cafes, such as the Estaminet du Chemin de Fer in Watten. Several of the works have a domestic theme - kitchens and the inside of buildings, while others are of houses and other buildings, some of which have sustained damage during the war.
Leslie was awarded the Military Cross for an action on 6 November 1918. This was reported in the London Gazette, No. 31680, page 15360, dated 9 December 1919.
The citation reads "Near Roisin on 6th November, 1918, he was in command of a party carrying out forward reconnaissance of roads, bridges and enemy mines. The party was continually harassed by heavy machine-gun and shell fire, and he and one sapper were wounded. With fine devotion to duty he persisted in his work, and obtained valuable information which enabled early repairs to be carried out."
At some time after the war, he divorced Mildred, marrying Ida Alice Bradford in July 1938 in Westnminster, Middlesex. He died, aged 56, on 17 December 1947 in Walton-on Thames, Surrey.
The artworks, commission document and copies of photos relating to Leslie Horton Partridge were purchased from the son of Muriel Horton Partridge, and grandson of Leslie Horton Partridge.
Details
Details
"HELL FIRE LIZ. COTTAGE
BOESINGHE"
"L.H.P.
1st Sept. 1917"
Related Objects
Related Objects
Other items by Leslie Horton Partridge
Other items from Recollections of War
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Watten, 19 October 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Les Brebis, Lens, 19 October 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Cite St. Pierre, 25 October 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Mess St. Pierre, 1 November 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - St. Pierre, November 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Kitchen scene 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge Commission document as Temporary Lieutenant - 11 June 1917
- Copies of WWI photographs of Leslie Horton Partridge




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