Kitson, Linda (Oral history)

British civilian official war artist during Falklands War, 1982

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1945-1963: family life; education. Aspects of period as art student at St Martins School of Art and Royal College of Art in GB, 1963-1970: background to joining graphic art course at St Martins School of Art; continuing art training with Royal College of Art; how she developed as an artist and projects undertaken. Aspects of period as artist in GB, 1971-1982: importance of Mel Calman’s Workshop Galley; producing drawings at art festivals and in the theatre REEL 2 Continues: making drawings of Clare College, Cambridge and in French countryside; development her artistic ethos. Recollections of selection process as Official War Artist with Imperial War Museum during Falklands War, 1982: contrast between her approach and John Keanes, official war artist during Gulf War, 1992; character of her project drawing the staff of The Times; receiving information of Falklands Crisis whilst at The Times, 4/1982; her short listing and selection as Official War Artist, 5/1982; how she was willing to go to Falklands and attitude of her more pacifist peers. REEL 3 Continues: how exhibition of project to draw staff of The Times led to her selection; reaction to offer and opinion of role of war artist; friends’ reaction to her accepting commission; Press reaction to her commissioning; opinion of how behaviour of Press impeded preparations for commission; degree of advice given on preparations; opinion of behaviour of Press in war zone; decision not to go into front-line; question of being a woman on campaign; disadvantages of being shown chivalry by troops; question of noble behaviour taking place in war. REEL 4 Continues: troops reaction to her presence in war zone; question of being attacked for being part of armed forces propaganda; nature of brief received from Imperial War Museum; opinion of need for output to be easily intelligible; IWM display of work; fee received for work as war artist; elements of being a woman on military campaign and attitude of troops; question of attitude towards war art, 1982; reading Edward Ardizzione’s diaries and contrast between their experiences; artistic influences. REEL 5 Continues: problems of deciding what art materials to take; problems of working in wet and arctic conditions; amusement caused by her kit and appearance; working in extreme weather conditions; receiving nickname ‘Kitbags’ by ‘Private Eye’ magazine; importance of wearing right clothing including layers of gloves worn for drawing; receiving long-johns from quartermaster; receiving womens’ tights from Royal Marine Commandos; physical health; attitude of Ministry of Defence to her appointment as Official War Artist. REEL 6 Continues: initial impressions of QE2, 12/5/1982; adaptations of the QE2; description of send off from Portsmouth; comparison of send off to return with Welsh Guards to RAF Brize Norton, 7/1982; atmosphere amongst returning Welsh Guards, 7/1982; impact on Welsh Guards’ morale on being received by Prince Charles, 7/1982; attitude to being an Official War Artist, 1982-1987; opinion of Prince Charles. REEL 7 Continues: sense of isolation in Falklands; concern for getting her art work back to GB; story of nearly losing drawings to Peter Wilson a journalist from the Daily Mail; presence of other women on board QE2; living and working aboard QE2; sight of troops training on board; problems with lack of military knowledge; contrast between military training and luxury of liner; drawing Rapier missile system; opinion of role of war artists. REEL 8 Continues: knowledge amongst troops of tradition of war artists; reactions of troops’ to her work and their input; description relations with troops; discussions of sinking of Argentinean cruiser General Belgrano; question of troops’ access to information; opinion of quality of communications and intelligence during Falklands War; question of inter-service rivalry; limited communications available to Malcolm Hunt for 40 Commando, Royal Marines landing; change in weather during voyage aboard QE2; sight of Major General Jeremy Moore cross-decking from QE2 to HMS Antrim; arrival in South Georgia. REEL 9 Continues: start of cross-decking from QE2 to Canberra; question of uncertainty that she would be left behind; accident during cross-decking from QE2 to Canberra; description of troops cross-decking from QE2 to Canberra; appearance of troops prepared for action; reaction of Scots Guardsman Jack Goode to prospect of active service; how she was instructed to stay aboard Canberra after San Carlos landings to draw Argentinean POWs; impressions of Argentinean POWs and their erroneous views; treatment of Argentinean wounded; question of poor quality of Argentinean minefield maps; sight of mine clearance work; meeting Captain Blackstone and move of cabin below waterline aboard QE2. REEL 10 Continues: her own cross-decking from QE2 to Canberra, 28/5/1982; sight of survivors of Atlantic Conveyor during cross decking; reaction to news of safe arrival of drawings in GB and farewell from QE2; description of her landing by civilian dinghy at San Carlos, 3/6/1982; accidental arrival at special forces command post, 3/6/1982; obtaining accommodation in estates manager’s house; chaotic nature of helicopter landings of stores; reaction to death of Major Mike Forge; impressions of Falkland Islands. REEL 11 Continues: impressions of Port Stanley; pattern of her deployment, 12/5/1982-29/7/1982; conditions in beach-head at San Carlos; sight of Fleet Air Arm personnel living in trenches; dangers of being shot by sentries with limited daylight hours; Army Education Corps’ classes for children at San Carlos; opinion of British forces capabilities for maritime warfare; requesting suggestions for subject matter to draw; drawings of command post and quartermaster’s store. REEL 12 Continues: obtaining rations; description of meal she shared with troops in dark; eating ‘A & B’ biscuits; drawing of 4 Field Regt, Royal Artillery cookhouse; work of Army Catering Corps; weight loss amongst troops and herself; question of washing; relations between Falkland Islanders and troops; sleeping arrangements; amusing story of islander’s hospitality towards brigadier; importance of smart appearance amongst troops after ceasefire; appearance of troops during campaign; weather conditions; difficulties of working in extreme weather conditions; desire not to be an inconvenience; opinion of treatment of Argentinean conscripts by officers. REEL 13 Continues: Argentinean deserters desire to surrender; reaction of Argentinean’s POW to return to Argentina; difficulty of walking alone; difficulties of surrender negotiations with group of Argentinean and kneecapping of anyone seen to be taking up arms during process; speaking to traumatised Scots guardsman whose comrade had been killed during bogus Argentinean surrender; opinion of accusations of mistreatment of Argentinean POWs; question of battle hardening of troops and their appearance going into action. REEL 14 Continues: impressions of troops returning from Battle of Mount Tumbledown; how she was told of hand to hand combat during Battle of Mount Tumbledown; question of effect of combat on traumatised Scots guardsman; drawing Scots Guards personnel returned from Battle of Tumbledown in sheep shed; question of use of camera in field; opinion of value of drawings and photographs and delicacy of situation; change in troops’ attitude towards her; how she overheard signal of death of Colonel Herbert ‘H’ Jones. REEL 15 Continues: troops’ interest in her work; atmosphere amongst 5th Infantry Brigade at Goose Green; intensity of working on complex active scenes; variety of subjects and conditions under which drawings made; drawing portraits of Gurkhas under threat of air attack at Goose Green; how drawing task aided personal morale; giving drawings away to troops; story of working in vacated Argentinean next to plastic mines. REEL 16 Continues: how she imposed self-censorship on subject matter including not drawing casualties; question of drawing sensitive subjects; lessons learnt from war artist experiences; moral dilemmas of drawing or photographing wounded troops; question of proximity to bombing of Sir Galahad; opinion of press announcement about casualties from Sir Galahad; effect of mail on troops’ morale. REEL 17 Continues: atmosphere in Bluff Cove after bombing of Sir Galahad; weather conditions towards end of conflict; reactions to ceasefire at base camp at Fitzroy; burial of Argentinean dead; reaction to attending Falklands memorial service; how her attitude changed towards to wearing of red poppies; role of war artists; role of padres; comparison between work of padres and war artists; reaction to sight of Welsh Guards on landing craft returning to billet on Sir Tristram after memorial service; increase in work after end of war; billeting with Scots Guards. REEL 18 Continues: demand for her as war artist; hazard of mines; story of contracting hyperthermia; behaviour of nurse and discharging herself from base hospital, 7/1982; joining Scots Guards at Hill Cove, West Falklands; rotation of troops onto ships for ablutions; attitude towards Prince Andrew; anticipation of his visit to unit; story of court martial of Scots Guardman for burning colours whilst drunk; decision to return to GB. REEL 19 Continues: flight from Hill Cove to Port Stanley in poor weather; embarkation aboard MV St Edmund; character of voyage from Falklands Islands to Ascension Island; her inability to draw during voyage; psychological effects of war on returning troops including need for suicide watches; demands on being sole war artist during campaign; opinion of output during Falklands War. REEL 20 Continues: reaction to criticism of work as war artist; reactions of her peers and academics; how her work was used by Imperial War Museum curator Angela Weight; attending press conference at Imperial War Museum; opinion of book ‘Falklands War: A Visual Diary’; Ministry of Defence reactions to her works; effects of being Official War Artist on professional career; work with film director David Putnam on film ‘The Killing Fields’ about Cambodian genocide. REEL 21 Continues: reaction to working on ‘The Killing Fields’; opinion of profiteering from work as war artist; opinion of political and economic reasons for war; continued association with title Official War Artist; reiteration of importance of and need for war artists.