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Dave Harris Art
Pencil portraits, WWII and movie prints
“Operation Chastise : The Dams Await” - This piece of World War 2 art depicts how I imagined the interior of Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s personal barracks may have looked prior to the famous ‘Dambusters’ mission in May 1943.
Price above is for delivery within the UK. A delivery charge of £8 will be added to your total order at the PayPal checkout for delivery within the UK. For delivery to other countries within the *EU, please see the bottom of this page for further information.
Operation Chastise : The “Dambusters” Legend
On the evening of Sunday 16th May 1943 at 9.28pm during World War 2, 19 modified Lancaster bombers of 617 squadron of RAF Bomber Command, took off from RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. Their mission, codenamed “Operation Chastise”, was to destroy a number of dams in the heart of the industrial Ruhr Valley in Western Germany, known as the Eder, Mohne and Sorpe.
The squadron was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson in his Lancaster, AJ-G. The aircraft carried a revolutionary new weapon in the ‘bouncing bomb’, the brainchild of Dr.Barnes N Wallace. These bombs had to be dropped from the Lancaster bomber at a height of just 60 feet at a speed of 230mph. It took five attempts to successfully destroy the Mohne dam, the Eder followed, but the Sorpe could not be breached.
Guy Gibson was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross as a result of the mission and 34 airmen of 617 squadron were decorated with varying honours. Of the 19 Lancaster bombers that set off for Germany, only 11 returned. 53 airmen were killed and 3 were captured and spent the rest of World War 2 in prisoner of war camps. Guy Gibson and the men of 617 squadron would go down in history, forever remembered as the ‘Dambusters’.
The Dambusters - “Operation Chastise : The Dams Await”
In this new World War 2 picture above, I have depicted how I imagined the interior of Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s personal barracks may have looked prior to the famous ‘Dambusters’ mission in May 1943.
I have attempted to capture the scene from the window onto the runway, where stands Guy Gibson’s Lancaster bomber (AJ-G) along with the ‘bouncing bomb’ being readied by its groundcrew amid the early evening light of spring.
The items in the interior aim to relate to the RAF of the time, depicting actual RAF issue equipment from pilots wings insignia, canteen, aircraft recognition poster and playing cards to help identify enemy aircraft, tins of tea and powdered milk to other typically British items and personal effects, down to Guy Gibson’s very own faithful black Labrador. I’ve tried to pay particular attention to detail in every aspect of the drawing.
Fine Art Giclee print on Hahnemuhle 310gsm paper. Limited edition of 200
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“Operation Chastise : The Dams Await”
“Night of Nights”
The Dambusters
The Band of Brothers
The Dambusters and the Band of Brothers pictures above show the many differences between the British and American supplies during World War 2, showing how much more the Americans had in comparison to the British. At the same time I’ve also tried to capture a number of similarities in their basic surroundings and living conditions in the two pencil drawings of their barracks’ interiors.
Click on the images above or scroll below to view larger versions and for further information about the operations and purchasing the Giclee prints.
Print size and details for purchasing the Giclee print for delivery within the UK are found below the images. I’m using PayPal for all online transactions for ease of use and security.
*I also deliver to most other countries within the EU. For delivery of Giclee prints outside the UK, please email your order to orders@daveharrisart.co.uk. Payments can still be made via PayPal via email. Higher delivery costs will apply. The countries I deliver to and the delivery costs are set out in the Terms and Conditions.
All the images above are low resolution for use on the Internet. A much higher resolution is used for the Giclee prints. All prints are sold unframed.
“Night of Nights” - This piece of World War 2 art depicts how I imagined Lieutenant Dick Winters’ barracks on Upottery airfield may have looked prior to Easy Company’s departure for the Normandy coast in the early hours of D-Day.
Fine Art Giclee print on Hahnemuhle 310gsm paper. Limited edition of 200
Price above is for delivery within the UK. A delivery charge of £8 will be added to your total order at the PayPal checkout for delivery within the UK. For delivery to other countries within the *EU, please see the bottom of this page for further information.
The Band of Brothers - “Night of Nights”
On the evening of Monday 5th June 1944, during World War 2, Lieutenant Dick Winters and the men of Easy Company, a crack U.S. army rifle unit of the 506th regiment 101st Airborne division, prepared themselves for their part in the Normandy Invasion on D-Day.
They set off from their barracks on Upottery airfield in England on-board a squadron of American Douglas C-47 ‘skytrain’ aircraft. Their mission was to parachute in behind enemy lines covering the Normandy coastline of Northern France and to take out a series of four 105mm cannons that were firing down on to the American troops landing on Utah beach in the early hours of D-Day.
Although initially a large majority of Easy Company paratroopers failed to land in the correct area or ‘Drop Zone’, enough men were able to assemble and successfully take out the German guns at Brecourt Manor.
As a result of the battle, Dick Winters received the *Distinguished Service Cross and 11 Easy Company members received *Silver and *Bronze Stars.
The capture of the German battery on D-Day by Easy Company became a textbook case of an assault on a fixed position and is still demonstrated at the United States Military Academy at West Point today. Repeatedly sent on the toughest missions of World War 2, Dick Winters and the brave men of Easy Company, these ‘Band of Brothers’, fought, went hungry, froze and died in the service of their country.
*Distinguished Service Cross – A bronze cross awarded for heroism in combat
*Silver Star – A bronze star with a small silver star in the centre, awarded for gallantry in action
*Bronze Star – A bronze star awarded for valour in military operations
“Night of Nights”
My latest pencil drawing, is this new World War 2 picture, “Night of Nights”, paying homage to the Band of Brothers television series. In “Night of Nights”, I have depicted how I imagined the interior of Lieutenant Dick Winters’ barracks on Upottery airfield may have looked prior to Easy Company’s departure for the Normandy coast in the early hours of D-Day during World War 2.
This picture captures the view out of the window onto the runway, where a Douglas C-47 ‘skytrain’ troop carrying aircraft stands amid the fading afternoon light of early summer 1944.
The items and personal effects in the pencil drawing relate to the U.S. army of the era, from the iconic Lucky Strike cigarettes and Zippo lighter, aircraft recognition poster and playing cards (to aid the soldiers familiarity with enemy aircraft) , to the standard issue dog-tags, K-rations, M1–Garand carbine rifle, boots and helmets.
“Rats Against The Fox”
“Rats Against The Fox” - The second battle of El Alamein was a battle that lasted from October 23rd to November 3rd 1942 during World War II. Following the first battle which had stalled the Axis advance, British General Bernard Montgomery took command of the 8th Army, the “Desert Rats” and led them into battle against the Afrika Korps of General Rommel, known as the “Desert Fox”, and to ultimate victory in the North African campaign.
Fine Art Giclee print on Hahnemuhle 310gsm paper. Limited edition of 200
Price above is for delivery within the UK. A delivery charge of £8 will be added to your total order at the PayPal checkout for delivery within the UK. For delivery to other countries within the *EU, please see the bottom of this page for further information.
By July 1942 Rommel’s Afrika Korps had advanced deep into Egypt, posing a great threat to the vital Allied supply route along the Suez Canal. However, facing a lack of reinforcements while being aware of large scale Allied reinforcements arriving, Rommel sought to hit the British while their build-up was incomplete. This attack on 30th August 1942 at Alam Halfa failed and so fearing a counter-attack by the British 8th Army, the Afrika Korps dug in.
It took a further six weeks until the 8th Army were ready to attack with a force of 200,000 men and 1,000 tanks, against the 100,000 men and 500 tanks at Rommel’s disposal. They were holed-up along two lines, known by the Allies as the Oxallic and Pierson lines and they had laid around 500,000 mines along these.
Following the first battle of El Alamein which had stalled the Axis advance, British General Bernard Montgomery had taken over command of the 8th Army in August 1942. With ‘Operation Lightfoot’ Montgomery expected to slice two corridors through the Axis minefields in the North. The 8th Army would then pass through and defeat the German armour. Diversionary attacks in the South would hope to keep the rest of the Axis forces from moving North.
The second battle of El Alamein lasted from October 23rd to November 3rd 1942. Montgomery ultimately led the Desert Rats and the rest of the 8th Army to victory as German forces withdrew on November 3rd. By November 6th the Axis forces were in full retreat and over 300,000 troops had surrendered.
El Alamein - “Rats Against The Fox”
In this new World War 2 picture, I have captured the opposing forces of the British 8th Army’s famous division the “Desert Rats” and Germany’s Afrika Korps and each forces’ commanding officer, General Bernard Montgomery and Field Marshall Erwin Rommel.
I have also incorporated each army’s military vehicles, such as the Grant and Tiger tanks and the planes that assisted each side, the British Hawker Hurricane of the RAF and the Messerschmitt Bf 109G of the German Luftwaffe.
I have aimed to show a sense of British characteristics of tea drinking and stopping for a smoke. With the Germans I have shown their vehicles in motion and the British standing their ground, so as to portray how the British stalled the Axis advance in the battle of El Alamein.
I also wanted to portray the unique terrain of the harsh desert battlefield and show the subsequent uniforms of the soldiers as they fought beneath the searing heat of the North African desert.
The Second Battle of El Alamein
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