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You are here: Home / Artworks / HMAS Pioneer (l) / HMAS Pioneer in East Africa 1915

HMAS Pioneer in East Africa 1915

by Phil Belbin

HMAS Pioneer in East Africa 1915 by Phil Belbin
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Place made:
St Ives, Sydney
Date:
1986
Setting:
WW I (1914-1918)
Courtesy of Royal Australian Navy

The artist has graphically painted the scene described by Surgeon Lieutenant GA Melville-Anderson  aboard Pioneer:

‘We approached very cautiously, and when we were about 5,000 yards from the river entrance, we dropped anchor and allowed the tide to swing us broadside on. Hence all our starboard guns bore on the entrance. Very soon we were firing salvoes and then each gun rapidly independently. Our shells were bursting everywhere, throwing up great clouds of sand and earth.

In the meantime they were steaming up the river under heavy fire from the banks, but they went on and soon were within range of the Konigsberg. They then began to fire, the range being about five miles. Aeroplanes assisted the monitors in locating the position but were not very successful. The Konigsberg fired salvoes of five guns with good accuracy but soon she dropped to four then to three and two and finally one. During the last hour-and-a-half of the engagement she ceased fire altogether.’

  • About Phil Belbin

    Phil Belbin was interested in art from a young age and a prolific drawer. He is said to have produced his first comic book at the age of eleven and had his first published work, a calendar for a metallurgist, at the age of thirteen. He studied art for two years at East Sydney Technical College. In 1942 Belbin had further training for one year at Sydney's The Sun newspaper as an intern in the art department.

    In 1943 Belbin enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force and served as an armourer in the Pacific Islands. Following his demobilisation in March 1946, Belbin found work at Frank Johnson Publications as an illustrator. In 1947 Belbin went to work for K.G. Murray Publishing Company. He created cartoons, comic strips and artwork for the company over the next 30 years.

    Throughout his time at the publishing house Belbin also worked as a freelance illustrator for other publications and illustrated campaigns for advertising agencies and numerous private commissions. Belbin's list of commercial art clients grew to include local and international engineering, aerospace, and transportation companies.

    In 1974 Belbin was awarded a 'Citation of Merit' by the New York Society of Illustrator and in 1984 he was elected as a fellow by the Royal Society of Arts, London.

    Throughout his life Belbin had maintained a keen interest in steam transport - ships and trains. In addition to his print illustrations, Belbin also painted scenes of shipping and steam trains whose accurate details were highly regarded.

    Belbin was asked to illustrate the book “The Royal Australian Navy: the first seventy-five years”. This book contains twenty-six outstanding ship paintings and several drawings by Phil Belbin. The text was by Ross Gillett. It was published by Child & Henry in 1989.

    Phil Belbin passed away in 1993, succumbing to motor neurone disease.

    More paintings by Phil Belbin
  • About HMAS Pioneer (l)

    HMAS Pioneer was a Pelorus Class, Light Cruiser (3rd Class Protected Cruiser). HMS Pioneer was commissioned by the Royal Navy on 10 July 1900. She served on the Mediterranean Station and then the Australian Station. Pioneer continued in service as a unit of the Royal Navy on the Australia Station until 29 November 1912 when she paid off at Sydney for transfer to the Royal Australian Navy as a gift from the Admiralty. On 1 March 1913 she was commissioned in the Royal Australian Navy as HMAS Pioneer.

More reading

  • Additional resources for Phil Belbin
    • Phil Belbin, Australian National Maritime Museum (sea.museum)
    • Phil Belbin, Wikipedia
    • AustLit: Discover Australian Stories
  • Additional resources for HMAS Pioneer (l)
    • HMAS Pioneer (l), The Sea Power Centre (navy.gov.au)
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