LATE MR. MOORE JONES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1922, Page 7

LATE MR. MOORE JONES.

THE GALLIPOLI PICTURES. The late Mr. Horace Moore-Jones, who died as a result of his heroic endeavors at the recent Hamilton fire, was better known since the great war as Sapper Moore-Jones, the painter of the famous Gallipoli pictures. He was in England when the war broke out. Notwithstanding his years he immediately enlisted in the British section of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, which joined up with the Main Body in Egypt on Christmas Day, 1914, and was posted to. the First Field Company of 7 the Engineers. He proceeded with his unit to Gallipoli, taking part in the landing at Anzae Cove, and served as a sapper on the ridges. When the inevitable exhaustion overtook him he did not go away to hospital, but was employed in a capacity for which his qualifications as an artist fitted him. For some time he was practically a unit by himself. He was constantly engaged in making sketches i sometimes [from balloons anchored to [warships in the roadstead. He was , thus given the opportunity of placing jon canvas-.his remarkable impressions i of that rugged shell-torn country with its towns Of dug-out habitations on the le«ss dangerous slopes, its cooking fires, its sap roadways and upheaved clay. When he reached England in the early part of 1916 his Collection of watercolors was placed on view in the New Zealand building, and it attracted such notice that in April of that year he was commanded to exhibit them in Buckingham Palace before Their Majesties the King and Queen.

Returning to New Zealand, Mr. ’ Moore-Jones undertook to tour the Do- | minion with them for patriotic purposes, and many thousands of people attended the exhibitions and heard his exceedingly interesting talks about the Gallipoli compaign. Eventually he received an. offer for them from the Commonwealth Government, but as he wished that they should remain in the Dominion, he gave the New Zealand Government first option over them. This was not exercised, and finally the pictures became the property of Australia. A man of splendid physique, of engaging personality, and of an original turn of mind, the late Mr. MooreJones was a “character” on Gallipoli. When working as a field artist he took full advantage of the many opportunities offering of acting the part of the good Samaritan to many sick men who, on account of the confusion which often existed, found themselves sick, alone, and dying, in dug-outs and holes among the piles of food and clothing in the dumps. It is related that on one occasion a. staff officer told him that he might have a commission if he wished it. His reply was characteristic —“Imagine an old chap like me trying to be a lieutenant.” He was proud to belong to the ranks, and as a fine exponent of the Gallipoli comradeship he remained a sapper.