Bardiyah (Bardia) Masterpiece
I photographed this remarkable mural during the two years I spent in Libya 1961 - 1963
when I was at R.A.F. El Adem (south of Tobruk)
but mostly at the small compound of the Bombing Range (a further 20m)
Since then it has suffered considerable damage as can be seen on these pages
The title was purported to be " A Soldier's Dream of Home " but is now known to be
" Pleasures of Avarice - Pleasures of Art "
The mural completely fills a wall of a room in Bardiyah, a harbour town close to the border with Egypt.
The mural was purportedly produced with boot polish by a prisoner of war, using fingers, matchsticks and the like. (see update pages.)
If it is still there (2004) it will have deteriorated even more than it had in the 19 years between it's creation and my visit to the town. (see update pages.)
It is now some 62 years since it was produced.
My inexperienced photography resulted in badly lit and slightly out of focus pictures, which were all taken from the left end of the wall.
The resulting parallax error can be seen, where the right end has less height than the left, and slopes.
At a little over the age of 18, I saw the mural more as a curiosity than appreciating it for what it really is... a masterpiece.
How age changes one's perspective!
Stitched version
The photographs are a very poor substitute for the awe inspiring vision when first seen in full sized reality. The true beauty and very fine detail was clearly visible to the naked eye, from across the room.
The enlargements shown on other pages are a poor attempt to convey that detail and share this experience.
I am not an artist, in fact I cannot draw a decent circle, let alone hope to interpret the artist's intended meaning or thoughts.
It would add great interest and be of benefit to all viewers, if people with artistic insight were to generously offer their comments about this mural by e-mail. don@don-simmonds.co.uk
It is becoming increasingly unlikely, but...
was anybody now viewing this page, present in this room at the time of production?
Just below the skulls at the top left of the mural is the inscription...
J. Brill R A S C 21 4 42
When did he append his name, start or finish, and how long did the mural take to produce?
(see update pages.)
The artist, John Brill - painting his mother
Generous courtesy of a family member who owns Copyright
Note the boxer!
Private John Frederick Brill (4617871) 5th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment
died in action 1st July 1942 at the very young age of 22,
fighting for his country in a far off inhospitable land.
Reference
He was buried at the El Alamein War Cemetery.
He was the son of Frederick and Eliza
from Wanstead in Essex
and later Thorpe Bay.