Baghdad and the River Tigris from 10000 ft Looking North Towards Khadimain by Richard Carline, oil on canvas

Richard and his elder brother Sydney became Official War Artists of RAF subjects in 1918 after serving as a wireless operator and a fighter pilot respectively – Richard in France and Sydney in Italy.

In 1919 they were commissioned to record views of the Middle East after the Ottoman Army’s defeat, making charcoal sketches in flight and watercolours after landing, and later, oil paintings. In July that year, while travelling from Baghdad to Mosul, they witnessed and depicted RAF bombardment of the Iraqi uprising against British rule. The Carline brothers created the only first-hand depictions of aerial operations arranged by the RAF for the first Official War Artists’ scheme. Bequeathed by the artist in 1984. Copyright: the artist's estate and Bridgeman Images / RAF Museum