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Bruce Bairnsfather
Captain Charles Bruce Bairnsfather (9 July 1887 – 29 September 1959) was a prominent British humorist and cartoonist. His best-known cartoon character is Old Bill. Bill and his pals Bert and Alf featured in Bairnsfather's "Fragments from France" cartoons published weekly in The Bystander magazine during the First World War.
Bairnsfather was born at Murree, British India (now Pakistan) to Major Thomas Henry Bairnsfather (1859–1944), of the Indian Staff Corps, and (Amelia) Jane Eliza, daughter of Edward Every-Clayton and granddaughter of Sir Henry Every, 9th Baronet. His parents were second cousins, both being great-grandchildren of Sir Edward Every, 8th Baronet.
Bairnsfather spent his early life in India, but was brought to England in 1895 to be educated at the United Services College, Westward Ho!, then at Stratford-upon-Avon. Initially intending a military career, he failed the entrance exams to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Finally, he was able to pass the much simpler exam for a part-time Militia commission. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 5th Battalion (Warwickshire Militia), Royal Warwickshire Regiment, on 1 March 1907.
He resigned in 1907 to become an artist, studying at the John Hassall School of Art. Unsuccessful at first, he worked as an electrical engineer. Working in this capacity for the Old Memorial Theatre, Stratford, brought him into acquaintance with Marie Corelli, who introduced him to Thomas Lipton, a connection that led to commissions to draw advertising sketches for Lipton tea, Player's cigarettes, Keen's Mustard, and Beecham's Pills.
On 11 September 1914, Bairnsfather was joined the 3rd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a second lieutenant. He was promoted to lieutenant on 19 December 1914, and to captain on 2 February 1915.
He served in France until 1915, and was seconded as Brigade Machine Gun Officer on 3 October 1915. He was hospitalised with shell shock and hearing damage sustained during the Second Battle of Ypres. On 25 April 1916, he was made a staff captain while attached to headquarters. Posted to the 34th Division HQ on Salisbury Plain, he developed his humorous series for the Bystander about life in the trenches, featuring "Old Bill", a curmudgeonly soldier with trademark walrus moustache and balaclava. The best remembered of these shows Bill with another trooper in a muddy shell hole with shells whizzing all around. The other trooper is grumbling and Bill advises:
Well, If you knows of a better 'ole, go to it.
Many of his cartoons from this period were collected in Fragments from France (1914) and the autobiographical Bullets & Billets (1916).
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Bruce Bairnsfather
Captain Charles Bruce Bairnsfather (9 July 1887 – 29 September 1959) was a prominent British humorist and cartoonist. His best-known cartoon character is Old Bill. Bill and his pals Bert and Alf featured in Bairnsfather's "Fragments from France" cartoons published weekly in The Bystander magazine during the First World War.
Bairnsfather was born at Murree, British India (now Pakistan) to Major Thomas Henry Bairnsfather (1859–1944), of the Indian Staff Corps, and (Amelia) Jane Eliza, daughter of Edward Every-Clayton and granddaughter of Sir Henry Every, 9th Baronet. His parents were second cousins, both being great-grandchildren of Sir Edward Every, 8th Baronet.
Bairnsfather spent his early life in India, but was brought to England in 1895 to be educated at the United Services College, Westward Ho!, then at Stratford-upon-Avon. Initially intending a military career, he failed the entrance exams to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Finally, he was able to pass the much simpler exam for a part-time Militia commission. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 5th Battalion (Warwickshire Militia), Royal Warwickshire Regiment, on 1 March 1907.
He resigned in 1907 to become an artist, studying at the John Hassall School of Art. Unsuccessful at first, he worked as an electrical engineer. Working in this capacity for the Old Memorial Theatre, Stratford, brought him into acquaintance with Marie Corelli, who introduced him to Thomas Lipton, a connection that led to commissions to draw advertising sketches for Lipton tea, Player's cigarettes, Keen's Mustard, and Beecham's Pills.
On 11 September 1914, Bairnsfather was joined the 3rd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a second lieutenant. He was promoted to lieutenant on 19 December 1914, and to captain on 2 February 1915.
He served in France until 1915, and was seconded as Brigade Machine Gun Officer on 3 October 1915. He was hospitalised with shell shock and hearing damage sustained during the Second Battle of Ypres. On 25 April 1916, he was made a staff captain while attached to headquarters. Posted to the 34th Division HQ on Salisbury Plain, he developed his humorous series for the Bystander about life in the trenches, featuring "Old Bill", a curmudgeonly soldier with trademark walrus moustache and balaclava. The best remembered of these shows Bill with another trooper in a muddy shell hole with shells whizzing all around. The other trooper is grumbling and Bill advises:
Well, If you knows of a better 'ole, go to it.
Many of his cartoons from this period were collected in Fragments from France (1914) and the autobiographical Bullets & Billets (1916).