Philip Meninsky
Encyclopedia
Philip Meninsky was the son of Bernard Meninsky
. Despite an early passion for art, at his father's wish, he initially trained as an accountant, before being called up for National Service.
After a first posting to Scotland, he was then sent to the Far East where he was captured in 1942 after the fall of Singapore.
He spent the next three years working on the Death Railway
where he recorded the lives of POWs by secretly making detailed drawings of camp life. These drawings were subsequently used as evidence in the trials of war criminals.
At one point, rendered skeletal by starvation, he developed tropical ulcers on his legs, and was transferred to Chunkai hospital camp, where his limbs were saved from amputation by Edward Dunlop
and Major Arthur Moon.
His work from this period is largely held by the Imperial War Museum
in London, England, but there is at least one in the State Library of Victoria
in Australia.
Together with the works of Jack Bridger Chalker
, Ashley George Old
and Ronald Searle
these drawings and paintings form a unique record of this dark time in human history.
Old and Meninsky were reunited in 1995 after 50 years as guests of the Imperial War Museum for an exhibition Victory in the Far East – held 15 August to 15 December 1995.
Bernard Meninsky
Bernard Meninsky was a figurative artist, painter of figures and landscape in oils, watercolour and gouache, draughtsman and teacher. He was born in Karotopin now in the Ukraine but raised in Liverpool where he attended the Liverpool School of Art in 1906 after initially attending evening classes...
. Despite an early passion for art, at his father's wish, he initially trained as an accountant, before being called up for National Service.
After a first posting to Scotland, he was then sent to the Far East where he was captured in 1942 after the fall of Singapore.
He spent the next three years working on the Death Railway
Death Railway
The Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, the Thailand–Burma Railway and similar names, was a railway between Bangkok, Thailand, and Rangoon, Burma , built by the Empire of Japan during World War II, to support its forces in the Burma campaign.Forced labour was used in its construction...
where he recorded the lives of POWs by secretly making detailed drawings of camp life. These drawings were subsequently used as evidence in the trials of war criminals.
At one point, rendered skeletal by starvation, he developed tropical ulcers on his legs, and was transferred to Chunkai hospital camp, where his limbs were saved from amputation by Edward Dunlop
Edward Dunlop
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Ernest Edward "Weary" Dunlop, AC, CMG, OBE was an Australian surgeon who was renowned for his leadership while being held prisoner by the Japanese during World War II.-Early life and family:...
and Major Arthur Moon.
His work from this period is largely held by the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
in London, England, but there is at least one in the State Library of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
in Australia.
Together with the works of Jack Bridger Chalker
Jack Bridger Chalker
Jack Bridger Chalker is an artist best known for his work recording the lives of prisoners of war in World War II....
, Ashley George Old
Ashley George Old
Ashley George Old was an artist best known for documenting the lives of prisoners of war forced to construct the Thailand-Burma railway...
and Ronald Searle
Ronald Searle
Ronald William Fordham Searle, CBE, RDI, is a British artist and cartoonist, best known as the creator of St Trinian's School. He is also the co-author of the Molesworth series....
these drawings and paintings form a unique record of this dark time in human history.
Old and Meninsky were reunited in 1995 after 50 years as guests of the Imperial War Museum for an exhibition Victory in the Far East – held 15 August to 15 December 1995.