12 Facts About Colin Gill

Colin Unwin Gill was an English artist who painted murals and portraits and is most notable for the work he produced as a war artist during the First World War.

Colin Gill studied at the Slade School of Art, and in 1913 became the first recipient of the Rome Scholarship in Decorative Painting to the British School at Rome.

At the start of World War I, Gill joined the Royal Garrison Artillery and served with them on the Western Front as a second lieutenant with the 17th Heavy Battery until 1916, when he was seconded to the Royal Engineers to work as a front-line camouflage officer.

Colin Gill was invalided back to England, with gas poisoning in March 1918, and spent several months recovering at the Hospital for Officers on the Isle of Wight.

In May 1918, Colin Gill offered his services as a war artist but, initially was turned down and continued to work as a camouflage instructor.

Colin Gill stayed in France until 14 December 1918, visiting Mons only hours after it had been retaken by the Allies.

At the front, Colin Gill spent a week stationed in an artillery battery, where he suffered from frostbite.

For Heavy Artillery, Colin Gill drew on his experience as a camouflage officer;- the two large howitzers in the painting both have a patchwork camouflage design and are covered in green netting to avoid detection by enemy aircraft.

Colin Gill first exhibited with New English Art Club in 1914 and eventually became a member of the group in 1926.

Colin Gill showed works at the Royal Academy from 1924 onwards and taught painting at the Royal College of Art from 1922 until 1925.

Between 1925 and 1927, Colin Gill worked on a large mural, King Alfred's long-ships defeat the Danes, 877, for St Stephen's Hall in the Palace of Westminster.

Colin Gill's daughter Sue was the child model for Gill's 1934 painting The Kerry Flute Player In 1938, under the name Richard Saxby, Gill with his wife Una Long published the book Five Came to London.