The Painful Path of Peace

Category

Library Item

Item no

33497

Title

The Painful Path of Peace

Description

"And now the world in its heart must salute all our soldiers who through these four years and more of war have fought for this victory by great heroism through many years of horror and tragedy, with enormous sacrifice. I see only two figures in this war, now that hostilities have ceased - the officers and men who have gained this victory on the British Front. One is the figure of the regimental officer, from subaltern to battalion commander, the boys and their elder brothers, who went over the top at dawn and led their men gallantly, hiding any fear of death they had, and who in dirty ditches and dugouts, in mud and swamps, in fields under fire, in ruins that were death-traps, in all the filth and misery of this war held fast to the pride of manhood, and in the worst hours did not weaken, and for their country's sake and the game they played offered up their life, and all that life means to youth, as a free, cheap gift. And the other figure is Tommy. Poor old Tommy! You have had a rough time, and you hated it, but by the living God you have been patient and long-suffering and full of grim and silent courage, not swanking about the things you have done, not caring a jot for glory, not getting much, but now you have done your job, and it is well done. - Philip Gibbs."

Artist / maker

Raemaekers, Louis

Date

1919

Size

33.3 x 25.1 cm

Type

Chromolithograph

Location

Art and Design Library

Copyright

Louis Raemaekaers' drawings are reproduced by kind permission of the Louis Raemaekers Foundation.