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A. D. Nineteen Fifty
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A. D. Nineteen Fifty
Cartoon by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather, originally published in The Bystander magazine on 29 September 1915 and subsequently issued as part of his Fragments from France, and, as here, in postcard form. The picture shows two veteran Tommies with Methuselah-like beards, still manning the trenches thirty five years later, as a flurry of shells continue to fly overhead. The cartoon is a wry comment by Bairnsfather on the interminable stalemate of the conflict which many thought would be over by Christmas in 1914. Reading a newspaper, one remarks to the other, " I see the War Babies Battalion is a coming out." The original cartoon was entitled A. A. 19.. (?) whereas this postcard version offers 1950 as the precise year in the future. Date: 1915
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Media ID 11579655
© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection
Amusing Bairnsfather Beards Bombs Bruce Bystander Conflict Elderly Experience Experienced Fifty Fragments News Newspaper Nineteen Overhead Shells Stalemate Tommies Trench Trenches Veteran Warfare Methuselah
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A. D. Nineteen Fifty
EDITORS COMMENTS
is a classic cartoon by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather, originally published in The Bystander magazine on September 29, 1915, and later issued as part of his Fragments from France collection. This humorous image depicts two elderly soldiers, their Methuselah-like beards reaching down to their waists, still manning the trenches thirty-five years after the start of the conflict. The cartoon is a wry commentary on the interminable stalemate of the First World War, which many believed would be over by Christmas in 1914. In the picture, one soldier is engrossed in reading a newspaper, and he turns to his companion to share the news. "I see the War Babies Battalion is coming out," he says, referring to the new generation of soldiers who will be joining the war effort. The original cartoon was titled "A. A. 19.. (?)", but this postcard version specifies the year as 1950. Bairnsfather's cartoon, with its amusing portrayal of the never-ending conflict and the experiences of the veteran soldiers, continues to resonate with viewers even today. The image of the two old Tommies, their faces etched with the lines of time and their eyes weary from the long years of warfare, is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by the soldiers during the Great War. Captain Bruce Bairnsfather was a British cartoonist and soldier who served in the trenches during the First World War. His Fragments from France collection, which includes "A. D. Nineteen Fifty," offers a unique perspective on the war, combining humor and insight to capture the spirit of the soldiers who fought in the trenches. This postcard is a testament to the enduring power of Bairnsfather's art and the historical significance of the events it depicts.
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