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No Joke! by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather post- WW1 cartoon
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No Joke! by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather post- WW1 cartoon
The Censor has been most kind to me throughout the war. I have made the above drawing simply out of gratitude. I have also omitted the joke, thus ensuring complete approval. A typical cartoon of trench life by Bruce Bairnsfather, with various notes (from an imaginary censor) criticising various aspects of the drawing from the out of date rifle to the joke being shared between the two Tommies. Date: 1919
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Media ID 14171248
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Bairnsfather Bruce Censor Censored Censorship Cheek Press Tongue Trench Trenches
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No Joke!
EDITORS COMMENTS
: A Gratitude-Fueled Trench Life Caricature by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather Post-WW1 Amidst the grim realities of the Western Front during World War I, a glimmer of humor emerged through the poignant and satirical works of Captain Bruce Bairnsfather. In this particular piece, titled "No Joke!", Bairnsfather expresses his deep appreciation for the leniency shown by the military censor throughout the war. Dated 1919, this cartoon depicts two Tommies, their faces obscured by trench paraphernalia, engaged in a quiet moment of merriment. The caption, deliberately left blank, alludes to a joke that has been omitted to ensure the drawing's approval by the censor. The scene is filled with intricate details that would typically draw the censor's ire. Outdated rifles, a discarded gas mask, and a seemingly forgotten grenade are scattered about, yet the censor's notes, scribbled in the margins, are conspicuously absent. In the upper left corner, a pair of spectacles and a quill pen suggest the presence of the censor, scrutinizing the drawing but ultimately choosing to look the other way. This playful nod to the censor's role in the war effort underscores the resilient spirit of soldiers who found humor in the most unlikely of circumstances. Bairnsfather's "No Joke!" stands as a testament to the enduring power of humor in the face of adversity and the complex relationship between the military and the press during wartime.
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