Cook, Matthew (Oral history)

British war artist with The Times in Kuwait and Iraq, 2003; NCO served with The London Regt in Iraq, 2004; war artist with Royal Gloucester, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry in Afghanistan, 2006; artist with Conde Nast in North Korea, 2006

REEL 1 Background in Bookham, GB, 1963-2003: details of Bookham; family; education; background to interest in art; reasons for applying to Operation Raleigh and posting to Portugal; other work experience; details of expeditions in Portugal; expedition in New Zealand including memories of Lee Kenyon; posting and work as expedition artist; period in Australia; expedition in Caribbean and South America; relationship with civilians; importance of artistic and practical experiences; aspects of period travelling in Papua New Guinea; Operation Raleigh exhibition at National Army Museum; reason for joining Territorial Army; commercial work; story of first job undertaken for The Times; details of illustration work for The Times; importance of agent and reflections on interviews; drawings made during Wapping Riots, 1986, and in Notting Hill; other elements of life that helped while war artist; reason for joining Territorial Army. REEL 2 Continues: story of work recording daily life at The Times including reflections on The Times and their use of illustration; self-conscious nature of subjects; work for English Heritage; illustrations made for The Times during 1997 and 2001 General Elections including reflections on drawing portraits; opinion of possibility of entering a war zone including training received from Territorial Army during Gulf War, 1991; influence from war artists. REEL 3 Continues: background to gaining appointment as The Times war artist in 2003; inoculations and kit issued; details of Hostile Environment Course attended in Cambridgeshire including secrecy over role; wait for visa and kit bought; lack of thought given to parents before taking war artist post; letter written to girlfriend in case of his death; details of insurance policy taken out; press card; explanation of proposed working method with photographer Richard Mills; story of catching flight to Kuwait City from Heathrow Airport. Aspects of period as war artist with The Times in Kuwait, 2003: scenes on arrival in Kuwait City; meeting with Richard Mills; arrival at Kuwait City Hilton and accreditation as unilateralist journalist; reaction to media presence; art materials taken to Middle East including length of posting; importance of previous experience. REEL 4 Continues: digital and communications equipment taken; opinion of media organisation including story of The Times writer attacked in Basra; military disinterest in printed media; story of concert attended in Kuwait City and reactions to press presence; reason for drive south and story of first break with American 101st Airborne; accommodation and working method; appearance of picture on front cover of The Times; atmosphere in Kuwait City as war was imminent; story of visit to British base; breakfast meetings with Richard Mills; signs of 'shock and awe' advance; watching Apocalypse Now on television; effects felt from frostbite suffered during Territorial Army training; food in hotel including problem with tooth; further reflections on media organisation. REEL 5 Continues: inflation in Kuwait City; items and food bought before war; back-up stove brought from GB; departure of Richard Mills; vehicle hired for drive into Iraq; driving in Kuwait City; reason for not acquiring a map of Iraq; equipment acquired with car; learning of skills from Richard Mills; visits with Navy to RFA Sir Galahad and HMS Edinburgh; first visit into Iraq with delivery of humanitarian aid; story of missile attack while buying a scanner; story of earlier missile attack including reactions of American soldiers in shelter and first picture drawn of war; powering of equipment; story of missile attack following evening; reactions to missiles; difficulties crossing border to enter Iraq including reiteration of story of The Times writer attacked in Basra; knowledge of war and availability of newspapers; sketchbook put together of published work; attempts of Royal Horse Artillery to have him join them; details of journey into Iraq including description of tank graveyard sketched and adjustments made to vehicle. Aspects of period as war artist with The Times in Iraq, 2003: reflections on oil pit fires outside Basra. REEL 6 Continues: arrival with Royal Horse Artillery; reason for requesting his presence; activities with unit; description of looted palace in Basra; change in rules of engagement after end of fighting; problems arising from translator's pay offered by British Army and BBC; machine-gun fire and other actions during stay in palace; foot patrols in Basra; gaining petrol for vehicle; details of river patrols including sketches made and contact with civilians; clothing worn by himself and troops; items carried; rations; conditions in palace; drawing of pictures; description of technical process for digitising and sending pictures to London including issue of getting facts right; concerns over lack of colour in desert; relationship with army; introductions to and work with Irish Guards and Black Watch; relationship with civilians; move to and details of Ba'ath Party Headquarters; sleeping arrangements; use of satellite phone; details of period at palace including scenes of fire fights and patrols; story of taking a Royal Horse Artilleryman to see damage made by guns; realisation of relative freedom. REEL 7 Continues: story of visit to Safwan with Royal Air Force Regiment while still in Kuwait; foot patrol with RAF Regiment including pro-Bush graffiti, regular explosions and sketches drawn; details of RAF Regiment base; question of link between one of his works with a John Keane painting; further details of patrols with Black Watch and Irish Guards; story of search conducted in house of suspected Secret Police Colonel and description of drawings made; story of man consistently seen during patrols and sketch map drawn; search of suspected thief's home; knowledge of war; decision to live away from army; details of hotel stayed in; story of fire in ammunition dump during phone call to girlfriend; concerns during time away from army; determination to go to Baghdad; return to palace and information gained from Royal Horse Artillery; employment of Hamid as driver and interpreter; visit to Hamid's family home; visit to home of Royal Horse Artillery's interpreter. REEL 8 Continues: scenes on journey to Baghdad including sketches made in Al Kut en route and description of road blocks; details of road on approach to Baghdad; scenes on arrival in Baghdad; precaution taken when in traffic jams; reason for traffic jams; rations and fuel during journey to Baghdad; scenes in Baghdad; arrival at and details of Hotel Lebanon; evacuation of building next door and sketches drawn of US activity; price of hotel; storage of vehicle; details of room; listening to Missy "Misdemeanour" Elliott en route to Baghdad; realisation of stupidity in not telling anyone of his decision to go to Baghdad; account of hiring taxi driver for stay in Baghdad; journeys around city including visits to Uday Hussein's party boat and Tariq Aziz's house; discovery of Hamid's cousins; reaction of civilians to suddenly being permitted to previously out of bounds areas; description of a looted Republican Guard barracks including stories of children looting live ammunition. REEL 9 Continues: details of scenes at Republican Guard barracks in east Baghdad including helmets and uniform; visits to torture chambers; writing on front of houses; scene in a children's playground; concern over seeing children playing with live ammunition; scenes of state television building; evening activities and food; scenes of tracer fire during night; explosion of ordnance factory and scenes of it following day; story of acquiring unleaded petrol; conditions in hotel room; further details of evening activities; knowledge of Green Zone; request made by The Times and resulting piece; contact with civilians; graffiti seen; reactions to week in Baghdad; more on scenes in children's playground; story of journey to Babylon; details of Ishtar Gate; scene of destroyed train; exhaustion; journey to Kuwait via Basra. Aspects of period as war artist with The Times in Kuwait, 2003: relief on arrival in Kuwait; self-motivation during time in Iraq. REEL 10 Continues: return to Hilton and changes in Kuwait City; contrast between Kuwait and Iraq; return to GB and end of war; contact with civilians in Iraq. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 2003: continuation of work and readjustment to life in GB; changes in art during trip; welcome home party; marriage including making decision to propose while in Baghdad; story of weapons found in palm grove; return of unused expenses to The Times; mobilisation of Territorial Army unit and reaction; training received; reaction to poor treatment of civilians by coalition forces; arrival of call-up papers; story of call-up during first Gulf War; reaction to this call-up; processing for service at Chilwell; pattern of training; knowledge of role. Aspects of period as NCO with London Regt in Iraq, 1/2004-7/2004: climate in Basra; reaction to posting in Basra; clearing of damaged tanks; continuation of artwork for The Times and loss of work sent to GB; accommodation; role within unit and duties; briefings; relationship with civilians; injuries to troops; posting taken with Signal Regiment and journey to Baghdad; story of journey into Baghdad including method of driving under bridges; stay in Green Zone including mortar attack; visit to friend in hospital including US activity in Baghdad and scenes of casualties arriving; escalation of conflict, 3/2004. REEL 11 Continues: responsibilities as NCO and lack of freedom; changes in Basra from earlier stay; visit to railway station; duties and journeys with Joint Helicopter Force including details of nine day duty rotation and paintings made; description of Sadr Uprising and Green Zone; description of Republican Guard Headquarters; relief of not carrying Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Warfare equipment; Iraqi expectation of chemical attacks; return visits to buildings; changes to previous visit's routine; problems adjusting on return to GB; start of Sadr Uprising and attacks on Basra base; issue of rockets being aimed at control tower on airbase; near misses from attacks; relationship with civilians including example of rules of engagement; Iraqi propaganda printed in response to events at Abu Graib; escalation of violence; details of kidnappings; contact with army women; contact with journalists including gaining chances to draw with Media Ops; visit to "Chemical" Ali Hassan al-Majid's house; disappointment following Saddam Hussein's capture; reactions to war; reactions to fake photographs printed in Daily Mirror; opinion of intelligence information; tactics used by insurgents; opinion on whether troops should be pulled out; affect of anti- war movement on troops; visit from Prince of Wales; story of problems while driving through Basra. REEL 12 Continues: contrast with first trip in regard to not being on own; relationships within unit; return to GB. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 2004: return to work; details of pay; help available to wife; honeymoon in Australia; lasting effects of service in Iraq including reactions of parents to his service; story of 2005 exhibition of work done in Iraq; invitation to join Royal Gloucester, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry in Afghanistan; problems of getting to Afghanistan; area covered by unit; support of wife. Aspects of period as war artist with Royal Gloucester, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry in Afghanistan, 2006: comparison with previous experience in Iraq and media interest in activities; visits to civilian homes including opinion of media behaviour in such situations; absence of media in north; experiences with and work of mobile operation teams; terrain and relationship with civilians; patrols in Kabul; state of Kabul including replacement houses and shops built; marking of minefields and unexploded bombs; visit to Helmand Province; situation in Afghanistan including story of attempt at eradicating poppies; uniform worn; drawings published for troops; details of civilians; output made in Afghanistan; mobilisation of Territorial unit for Afghanistan. Aspects of period as artist with Conde Nast in North Korea, 2006: background to gaining job with Conde Nast magazine; preparations for journey; checking of belongings and equipment on arrival; make-up of group with; restrictions on work; description of hotel base in Pyongyang. REEL 13 Continues: contrast between statues of Kim il Sung with that of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad; visit to war museum; patriotic fervour in Pyongyang; contact with civilians; views of countryside; pause in work due to nuclear test. Reflections on career as war artist, 2003-2006: possibility of exhibiting work from Afghanistan at National War Museum; need to continue war artwork; details of commissioned work; market for war artwork; wish to return to Iraq and Afghanistan or visit Darfur; discussion with The Times of possibilities for work abroad; discussion of war work; importance of getting details correct; journey aboard Ark Royal on first return from Iraq.