DOI Heft:
No. 338 (May 1921)
DOI Artikel:Salaman, Malcolm C.: Mr. James McBey's new Palestine etchings
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21392#0195
MR. JAMES McBEY NEW PALESTINE ETCHINGS
"DUST, BEERSHEBA "
BY JAMES MCBEY
sky-line they saw Jerusalem. The previous
night our troops had taken Nebi Samwil,
the hill on our left. This, the Mispah of
the Old Testament, was the spot from
which Richard L might have gazed upon
the Holy City, which it overlooked across
the Valley of Kolonieh. It was, there-
fore, a most valuable observation post
for the attack, and after our troops had
captured it, they spent the night in a
trench taken from the Turks. But in
the morning light Jerusalem revealed
herself to the keen eyes with ready
binoculars that were turned upon her
from that trench, while shells burst in
the intervening air. I remember being
one day in the office of the Art Section
of the Ministry of Information, looking
through the latest batch of Palestine
drawings received from Mr. McBey in
his capacity of Special Artist, with my
imaginative vision held in thrall by his
vital verity of graphic suggestion, when
the telephone bell rang, and Mr. Alfred
Yockney, who was in charge of the de-
partment, perfunctorily put the receiver
to his ear. Then he quietly broke the
silence with the stirring announcement,
" Jerusalem has fallen." I shall never
forget the thrill of it, though Mr. McBey's
drawings had been preparing me for it,
taking me comfortably along with the
advance and interesting me all the way.
Now, here is his etching, No. 6 of the
series, The Surrender of Jerusalem, and
we see the emissaries of the Holy City
coming along the road to yield to two
British " Tommies " possession of the
sacred place for which the Crusaders of
old would gladly die, though it were in
vain. Sergeant Hurcombe and Sergeant
Sedgwick, both ot the 2-19th Battalion
of ths London Regiment, are here im-
mortalised by the artist, who has touched
to the very life, with that human un-
derstanding which gives so vital a charm
to his etchings, the obvious wonder-
ment of the two ''non-coms." as to
the correct behaviour in face of such a
surprisingly ironical situation not exactly
provided for in the manual of " Infantry
Training." 00000
179
"DUST, BEERSHEBA "
BY JAMES MCBEY
sky-line they saw Jerusalem. The previous
night our troops had taken Nebi Samwil,
the hill on our left. This, the Mispah of
the Old Testament, was the spot from
which Richard L might have gazed upon
the Holy City, which it overlooked across
the Valley of Kolonieh. It was, there-
fore, a most valuable observation post
for the attack, and after our troops had
captured it, they spent the night in a
trench taken from the Turks. But in
the morning light Jerusalem revealed
herself to the keen eyes with ready
binoculars that were turned upon her
from that trench, while shells burst in
the intervening air. I remember being
one day in the office of the Art Section
of the Ministry of Information, looking
through the latest batch of Palestine
drawings received from Mr. McBey in
his capacity of Special Artist, with my
imaginative vision held in thrall by his
vital verity of graphic suggestion, when
the telephone bell rang, and Mr. Alfred
Yockney, who was in charge of the de-
partment, perfunctorily put the receiver
to his ear. Then he quietly broke the
silence with the stirring announcement,
" Jerusalem has fallen." I shall never
forget the thrill of it, though Mr. McBey's
drawings had been preparing me for it,
taking me comfortably along with the
advance and interesting me all the way.
Now, here is his etching, No. 6 of the
series, The Surrender of Jerusalem, and
we see the emissaries of the Holy City
coming along the road to yield to two
British " Tommies " possession of the
sacred place for which the Crusaders of
old would gladly die, though it were in
vain. Sergeant Hurcombe and Sergeant
Sedgwick, both ot the 2-19th Battalion
of ths London Regiment, are here im-
mortalised by the artist, who has touched
to the very life, with that human un-
derstanding which gives so vital a charm
to his etchings, the obvious wonder-
ment of the two ''non-coms." as to
the correct behaviour in face of such a
surprisingly ironical situation not exactly
provided for in the manual of " Infantry
Training." 00000
179