British observation balloon under attack by a German biplane, 1917 (c)

Watercolour by Sidney James Jessett, 1919.

Two British soldiers in an observation balloon basket being fired on by a German biplane, on the Western Front during World War One (1914-1918) , 1917 (c). One of the soldiers jumps out of the balloon while the other climbs tentatively out of the basket, their binoculars, binocular case and notes fall to the ground.

This watercolour shows the basket and a crew of two 'balloonatics', suspended below a kite balloon These balloons were so-named because they were tethered to the ground by a cable, and could be raised or lowered by winch. They were used as an observation platform to gather information about enemy strengths, and locations, new defences and to report on the movement of troops, supplies and artillery. Gathering, recording and reporting such intelligence was vital in the planning for offensive operations and to prepare defences to counter possible enemy assaults. The crew were supplied with static line parachutes which were supposed to open automatically if they were forced by accident or enemy action to abandon the balloon to save themselves.

The artist S J Jessett (1885-1961) is believed to have served with a kite balloon unit.