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Bruce Bairnsfathers Cottage Memorial, St Yvon, Belgium
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Bruce Bairnsfathers Cottage Memorial, St Yvon, Belgium
The rebuilt cottage stands on the site of the original building in which, in 1914, Bruce Bairnsfather drew his first catoons which led to the creation of Old Bill. Bill featured in WW1s most famous drawing - If you knows of a Better Ole go to it. On 13 December 2003 Tonie and Valmai Holt, Bairnsfathers biographers, unveiled a plaque that they had sponsored. At the ceremony was the Mayor of Warneton, The Khaki Chums, Chaplin Ray Jones, the local band and buglers and several groups from the UK. Date: 2003
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Media ID 23373000
© Holts Battlefield Collection / Mary Evans
2003 Bairnsfather Bairnsfathers Band Bill Bruce Buglers Ceremony Chaplin Chums Cottage Creation Drew Featured Groups Holt Ieper Jones Khaki Mayor Plaque Rebuilt Sponsored Stands Unveiled Ypres Yvon Better Biographers December
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In this poignant photograph, the rebuilt Bruce Bairnsfather Cottage Memorial stands proudly on the site of the original building in St. Yvon, Belgium. It was here, in 1914, that British soldier and cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather created his first cartoons featuring "Old Bill," a grizzled, humorous soldier who became an iconic symbol of life in the trenches during World War I. The most famous of these cartoons, "If You Knows of a Better 'Ole," depicted Old Bill's longing for a better life beyond the horrors of the battlefield. On 13 December 2003, the cottage was honored with a plaque unveiling ceremony, sponsored by Bairnsfather's biographers Tonie and Valmai Holt. The event was attended by the Mayor of Warneton, members of the Khaki Chums, Chaplin Ray Jones, the local band and buglers, and several groups from the United Kingdom. This heartfelt tribute paid homage to the legacy of Bairnsfather's work, which brought a touch of humor and humanity to the grim realities of the First World War. The cottage, located near Ypres (Ieper) in Flanders, serves as a reminder of the indomitable spirit and resilience of soldiers during this historic conflict.
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