I'm very pleased to be finally sharing this project. I was commissioned to create 8 images for the CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) to form an exhibition about the history of the Menin Gate in the city of Ypres in Belgium. The Gate is currently undergoing building works, and so while these are underway over the next two-three years, my work is up on the ramparts of the gate, giving visitors something else to explore. 

I had such a great time doing this project, it was a real honour to be asked to do it and working with the team at the cwgc was a pleasure. I was able to visit Ypres twice during the project and meet some of the people that help preserve these monuments to the missing from WW1. 

Here it is! Please take a look through and if you'd like to see it on the cwgc website click below. Thanks for taking a look :)

Words below from the cwgc website.

1. The Menin Gate 1910. 

Here’s the first image in the series of 8. Which starts our story off. Set in 1910 before the war. We see the Menin Gate as the gateway to a thriving city where many people lived.

2. Storm clouds gather, 1914. 

War comes to Ypres. To its defence come soldiers from France and from across the British Empire. This one was a real technical drawing challenge doing all those soldiers marching out from a high angle. But we cracked it in the end with a trip to the Great War Huts when we were able to photograph the correct uniforms and body positions of the march.

3. Desolation, 1917. 

Years of war have destroyed the gate and the city of Ypres. 

I’m super happy with this illustration! It’s mega detailed too, I hope you like it!

4. Victory? 1919
Amongst the wasteland the search for the fallen continues and the cemeteries grow ever bigger. So many have been lost forever, they are ‘the missing’.

5. A Memorial for the Missing. 1925. Reginald Blomfield the architect, Fabian Ware the founder of the CWGC and Rudyard Kipling making plans for the building of the Menin Gate.

"6. He Is Not Missing, He Is Here" 1927.
On 24 July 1927, thousands witness the moment the Menin Gate is unveiled. They look up and see the names of missing family, friends, and comrades. Image 6 in the Menin Gate Moments Exhibition.

7. The Last Post. 1965. 

Image 7 in the set from the Menin Gate Moments Exhibition. The Last Post Association have been playing the Last Post unbroken since 1928 and it’s a beautiful and rousing piece. Over this project I was able to visit and participate in the Last Post Ceremony twice and it has been a great honour to experience it.

8. The Future. All time great guy Simon Bendry posed for this final illustration in the series. Showing how the Menin Gate is used by schools to educate each new generation on what happened here and the people the gate remembers. I hand drew all the names in the correct positions on the panels for this illustration, it took me quite a while! 

PROCESS.  Here's some sketches and process shots from the project.

Thanks for watching!