Indian and British soldiers at rest, 7 April 1915

Red conté crayon drawing, signed and dated lower right, by Paul Sarrut (1882-1969), 1915.

This sketch shows a group of Indian and British soldiers sitting, reading newspapers and letters or lost in thought. Like many of Sarrut's informal sketches, it gives us a glimpse of daily life of soldiers behind the lines in France during the First World War.

Paul Sarrut served in the French Army during World War One (1914-1918) and was posted to the British Army as a Military Liaison Officer and interpreter for the French, Indian and British troops on the Western Front.

The Indian Army Corps started to arrive in Marseille in late September 1914, and from 1 October 1914 Sarrut sketched their arrival, life in camp and departure for the Western Front.

In 1915 Sarrut moved up to the front and continued to sketch the Indian soldiers there. The Indian corps was sent to Mesopotamia in November 1915.

After the War, Sarrut had a selection of his drawings engraved and issued as a portfolio, 'British and Indian Troops in Northern France, 70 War Sketches, 1914-1915', published by H Delépine of Arras, France, in about 1920.

Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund.