John Godfrey Bernard Worsley (16 February 1919 – 3 October 2000) was a prolific British artist and illustrator, best known for his naval battle scenes, and portraits of high-ranking officers and political figures. One of the very few active service artists of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, Worsley was the only person to render contemporary sea-warfare in situ, and the only official war artist captured by the Germans. Detained in the infamous prisoner-of-war camp Marlag O, Worsley documented prison life with supplies provided by the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and ...

, his expertise employed in the forging of identity papers, and an ingenious escape attempt requiring the construction of a mannequin named Albert R.N. During his lifetime, Worsley was president of the Royal Society of Marine Artists: sixty-one of his paintings – including portraits of

Field Marshal Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, (; 17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976), nicknamed "Monty", was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War, the Irish War of Independence and ...

, and the First Sea Lord, Sir John Cunningham – hang in the Imperial War Museum, with another twenty-nine pictures archived in the collections of the

National Maritime Museum The National Maritime Museum (NMM) is a maritime museum in Greenwich, London. It is part of Royal Museums Greenwich, a network of museums in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Like other publicly funded national museums in the Unite ...

Life

Worsley spent his childhood on a coffee farm in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...

, his family having emigrated from

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

just six months after his birth. In 1928 he was sent back to England and was enrolled in St. Winifred's boarding school, from where Worsley won a scholarship to Brighton College, after which he spent three years studying fine art at

Goldsmiths A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold. In German, the Goldsmith family name is written Goldschmidt. Goldsmith may also refer to: Places * Goldsmith, Indiana, United States * Goldsmith, New York, United States, a h ...

' School of Art. After graduating, in 1938, Worsley secured work as a commercial illustrator, mainly working on romance magazines. At the start of World War Two, Worsley joined the Royal Navy and spent three years on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic and the North Sea. During that period Worsley served on HMS ''Laurentic'', HMS ''Lancaster'' and . Worsley was aboard the ''Laurentic'' when it was torpedoed and sunk in November 1940. Worsley's painting of that incident, based on sketches he made at the time in an open lifeboat, plus his drawings of wartime life at sea gained the attention of

Kenneth Clark Kenneth Mackenzie Clark, Baron Clark (13 July 1903 – 21 May 1983) was a British art historian, museum director, and broadcaster. After running two important art galleries in the 1930s and 1940s, he came to wider public notice on television ...

– the director of

War Artists' Advisory Committee The War Artists Advisory Committee (WAAC), was a British government agency established within the Ministry of Information at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 and headed by Sir Kenneth Clark. Its aim was to compile a comprehensive artist ...

–who appointed him as one of the two full-time artists attached to the Commander-in-Chief's staff, Malta. In 1943, the Navy dispatched Worsley to an island in the north Adriatic, where he hoped to record an attempt by Allied saboteurs to establish a base camp, but the Germans intercepted his party, forcing them to surrender. As a prisoner, Worsley documented camp life with warmth, accuracy, and humour. He also directed his talent to covert pursuits, including the creation of counterfeit documentation, and Albert, an ingenious life-size figurine, crafted from newspaper, a wire frame, and human hair. The figurine had blinking ping-pong ball eyes that were powered by a pendulum made from a sardine tin. For four days, Albert successfully deceived the prison guards, masquerading as an officer during roll-call, while the lieutenant he had replaced made good his escape. However, the escapee was eventually recaptured, and Albert was hidden for the next escape. After the war, Worsley remained under Naval engagement, painting portraits of high-ranking officers for the Admiralty, before securing a commission for the popular children's weekly, ''

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

'', and its companion paper, ''

Girl A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. When a girl becomes an adult, she is accurately described as a ''woman''. However, the term ''girl'' is also used for other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.c ...

'', achieving his greatest success with ''The Adventures of P.C. 49'',''John Worsley'', Illustration Art Gallery, 17 April 2013
/ref> a comic strip featuring the exploits of a British constable. Aside from illustrating comics, periodicals, and advertisements - including a series of Army Recruitment posters out of the Boy's Own mould, Worsley also assisted Scotland Yard; his ability to draft from description secured the capture of the nurse implicated in the notorious London baby-snatch of 1990. By 1970, Worsley entered the arena of family entertainment, rendering hundreds of large plates for televised adaptations of ''

The Wind in the Willows ''The Wind in the Willows'' is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It details the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and get ...

'', ''

Treasure Island ''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure no ...

'', '' A Christmas Carol'', and ''

The Little Grey Men ''The Little Grey Men: A story for the young in heart'' is a children's fantasy novel written by Denys Watkins-Pitchford under the pen name "BB" and illustrated by the author under his real name. It was first published by Eyre & Spottiswoode in 1 ...

'', later released as large-format prints for children.David Brockman (2003), ''The Big Three'', Transdiffusion
/ref> During his lifetime, he illustrated over forty books, concluding with a record of his exploits during the Second World War. Worsley died on 3 October 2000 at the age of 81. A collection of his wartime sketches, found in his studio after his death, were displayed by his step-daughter on a special edition of the BBC television programme ''

Antiques Roadshow ''Antiques Roadshow'' is a British television programme broadcast by the BBC in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom (and occasionally in other countries) to appraise antiques brought in by local people ( ...

'' on 8 September 2019, marking 80 years since the start of World War II. At that time, they remained in the ownership of his family.

Selected works

Biography

Illustrations

* Guy Morgan (1945), ''P.O.W.'',

Whittlesey House McGraw Hill is an American educational publishing company and one of the "big three" educational publishers that publishes educational content, software, and services for pre-K through postgraduate education. The company also publishes referen ...

McGraw-Hill Book Company McGraw Hill is an American educational publishing company and one of the "big three" educational publishers that publishes educational content, software, and services for pre-K through postgraduate education. The company also publishes referen ...

Inc. () * Guy Morgan (1945), ''Only Ghosts can Live'', Crosby Lockwood & Son * Stephen MacFarlane (pseud. John Keir Cross) (1946), ''Detectives in Greasepaint'', Peter Lunn * John Keir Cross (1946), ''Studio 'J' Investigates'', Peter Lunn * Robert Harling (1946), ''The Steep Atlantick Stream'', Chivers, Chatto & Windus () *

The Illustrated London News ''The Illustrated London News'' appeared first on Saturday 14 May 1842, as the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. Founded by Herbert Ingram, it appeared weekly until 1971, then less frequently thereafter, and ceased publication i ...

(ed. Sir Bruce Ingram) (1949) * Eric Romilly (1949), ''Bleeding from the Roman'',

Chapman & Hall Chapman & Hall is an Imprint (trade name), imprint owned by CRC Press, originally founded as a United Kingdom, British publishing house in London in the first half of the 19th century by Edward Chapman (publisher), Edward Chapman and William Hall ...

* Thomas Cubbin, with an introduction by Henry Major Tomlinson (1950), ''The Wreck of the Serica'', Dropmore Press * Eagle Annual Number 2 (1953) (ed. Marcus Morris),

Hulton Press Sir Edward George Warris Hulton (29 November 1906 – 8 October 1988) was a British magazine publisher and writer. Early life Hulton was born to Sir Edward Hulton, 1st Baronet, a newspaper publisher and racehorse owner originally from Mancheste ...

* Eric Phillips and Alan Stranks (1953), ''P.C. 49 "

" Strip Cartoon Book'', Preview Publications (UK) Ltd * Alan Stranks (1954), ''P.C. 49 "Eagle" Strip Cartoon Book Number 2'', Andrew Dakers Ltd * Alan Stranks (1954), ''On the Beat with P.C. 49'', Preview Publications (UK) Ltd * Alan Stranks (1955), ''PC 49 Annual'', Andrew Dakers Ltd * Roderick Langmere Haig-Brown (1949), ''Saltwater Summer'', Collins () * George Beardmore (1956), ''Belle of the Ballet's Gala Performance'', Hulton Press * George Beardmore (1957), ''Belle of the Ballet's Country Holiday'', Hulton Press * George Beardmore (1958), ''Scandale a la Cour'',

Dargaud Société Dargaud, doing business as Les Éditions Dargaud, is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1936 by Georges Dargaud (), publishing its first comics in 1943. ...

* George Beardmore (1958), ''Le Secret De La Ballerine'', Dargaud * ''Ships'' (1962),

Watson-Guptill Publications Watson-Guptill is an American publisher of instructional books in the arts. The company was founded in 1937 by Ernest Watson, Ralph Reinhold, and Arthur L. Guptill. They also published the magazine ''American Artist''. Their headquarters are at 17 ...

* John Gordon Williams (1963), ''God in the Space Age'', Church Information Office * Macdonald Hastings (1971), ''Sydney the Sparrow'',

Ward Lock Ward, Lock & Co. was a publishing house in the United Kingdom that started as a partnership and developed until it was eventually absorbed into the publishing combine of Orion Publishing Group. History Ebenezer Ward and George Lock started a pu ...

() * ''

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...

, retold by Jane Carruth'' (1975), Golden Press () * ''

Johanna Spyri Louise Spyri (; ; 12 June 1827 – 7 July 1901) was a Swiss author of novels, notably children's stories, and is best known for her book '' Heidi''. Born in Hirzel, a rural area in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, as a child she spent se ...

's Heidi, retold by Jane Carruth'' (1975), Award () * '' Anna Sewell's

Black Beauty ''Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse'' is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she was bedridden and seriously ill.Merriam-Webster (1995). ...

, retold by Jane Carruth'' (1975), Award () * '' Alexandre Dumas'

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight ...

, retold by Jane Carruth'' (1976), Award () * '' Mark Twain's

Tom Sawyer Thomas Sawyer () is the titular character of the Mark Twain novel ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: '' Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), '' Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and '' Tom Sawyer, ...

, retold by Jane Carruth'' (1977), Award () * '' R.D. Blackmore's '

Lorna Doone ''Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor'' is a novel by English author Richard Doddridge Blackmore, published in 1869. It is a romance based on a group of historical characters and set in the late 17th century in Devon and Somerset, particularly ar ...

, retold by Jane Carruth'' (1979), Purnell () * '' Daniel Defoe's

Robinson Crusoe ''Robinson Crusoe'' () is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work's protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a tra ...

, retold by Jane Carruth'' (1982), Award () *

Kenneth Grahame Kenneth Grahame ( ; 8 March 1859 – 6 July 1932) was a British writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is most famous for ''The Wind in the Willows'' (1908), a classic of children's literature, as well as '' The Reluctant Dragon''. Both books w ...

(1982), ''

'', Purnell () *: – (1983), ''Mr. Toad (Tales from

)'', Purnell () *:- (1983), ''Home Sweet Home (Tales from

)'', Purnell () *: – (1983), ''Toad's Adventures (Tales from

)'', Purnell () *: – (1983), ''The River Bank (Tales from

)'', Purnell () *: – (1983), ''The Open Road (Tales from

)'', Purnell () *: – (1983), ''The Further Adventures of Toad (Tales from

)'', Purnell () * John Worsley (1984), foreword to ''A Roving Reporter: A Tribute to the Memory of Donald Charles Orbach 1914–1982'' * ''

, retold by Jane Carruth'' (1984), Award () *

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

, ed. Jane Wilton-Smith (1985), '' A Christmas Carol'', Gallery Books () * Alan Stranks (1990), ''The Adventures of P.C. 49 (Eagles Classics)'', Hawk Books () * Kenneth Grahame (1990), ''Mr. Toad (

the Wind in the Willows ''The Wind in the Willows'' is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It details the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and get ...

Library)'', Award Publications Ltd () * Barry O'Brien, Kaj Melendez, and Mirza Javed (1962), ''Ace London'', Fleetway Publications; repub. (2011) Cuauhtemoc Publishing Ltd ()

Selected filmography

* ''

The Captive Heart ''The Captive Heart'' is a 1946 British war drama, directed by Basil Dearden and starring Michael Redgrave. It is about a Czechoslovak Army officer who is captured in the Fall of France and spends five years as a prisoner of war, during which ti ...

'' (1946) * '' Albert R.N.'' (1953) * Anglia Story Series: ''

'' (1969) *: – ''The Winter of Enchantment'' (1970) *: – '' A Christmas Carol'' (1970) *: – ''

'' (1972) *: – ''Baldmoney, Sneezwort, Dodder and Cloudberry (

)'' (1975) *: – '' The Whisper of Glocken'' (1976/ 1980)

References

External links

IMDB
{{DEFAULTSORT:Worsley, John 1919 births 2000 deaths Alumni of Goldsmiths, University of London British children's book illustrators British comics artists British illustrators British war artists British World War II prisoners of war People educated at Brighton College Royal Navy officers Royal Navy personnel of World War II World War II artists World War II prisoners of war held by Germany