Sketches of First World War soldiers, including some preliminary studies for the oil painting, 'Our "Little Contemptibles"', by William Barns Wollen (1857-1936), 1917 (c)

Charcoal and wash sketches from a sketchbook by William Barns Wollen (1857-1936), 1917 (c).

The sketches include British infantrymen from the early stages of World War One (1914-1918). The figure of the casualty in the centre of the page is identifiable in Wollen's finished painting. 'Our "Little Contemptibles"', the title of the painting, relates to a mistranslated reference to Britain's 'insignificant little Army' by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. The oil painting is part of the National Army Museum Collection (NAM. 1998-04-49).