'7th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers', 12 May 1916

Lithograph by and after Paul Sarrut (1882-1969), 12 May 1916. One of 70 lithographs of sketches by Paul Sarrut, No 81 in a limited edition of 250 entitled 'British and Indian Troops in Northern France', published by H Delepine, Arras, 1920 (c).

Three soldiers of the 7th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. The original for this sketch, which is held in this Collection, records that this sketch was drawn at Noeux-les-Mines in Pas-de-Calais, France.

The battalion was raised in October 1914. They had arrived in France in February 1916 and were holding the line near Hulluch (Loos) when they German Army attacked using chlorine gas in conjunction with intensive artillery bombardment. On 3 May 1916, Brigadier-General Leveson-Gower, commanding the 49th Infantry Brigade commended the battalion saying, 'Officers WOs NCOs and men of the 7th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, I admire your bravery and the courage you have shown since you have taken your place in the line…You have seen the worst of it and have shown by your steadiness, coolness and courage that you were good soldiers…Ireland can be proud of you and in the future, when asked what battalion did you belong to, you can answer with pride that you were in the 7th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, a real fighting battalion and you need say nothing further.' The following day they moved to Noeux-les-Mines for 8 days rest. It was at this time that they were sketched by Sarrut.

Camille Georges Paul Sarrut was born in Grenoble in May 1882. He was an artist and engraver who studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1909, under the name Paul Sarrut. Having undertaken national service in 1903, he rejoined the French Army in 1914 as a corporal and served during the First World War (1914-1918). That same year he 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 National Army Museum holds a large collection of original sketches that Sarrut drew during the war, many of which he published in this set of lithographs in about 1920.