A boyhood memory of Falmouth Harbour just weeks before D-Day prompted a painting as a gift by veteran marine artist Tony Warren Painting.
Painted in June 1984 to celebrate the first birthday of his grandson Pete Warren, ‘A May Morning 1944' depicts a scene from boyhood memory of Falmouth harbour, a week before D-Day.
The painting shows US and UK Navy invasion craft including tank landing craft, tank landing ships, infantry landing craft, amphibious ‘DUKW’, RAF air-sea rescue launch, escort frigates and destroyers, American torpedo boats, and barrage balloons.
It also depicts an anti-aircraft artillery positioned atop Trefusis Headland, as well as Falmouth’s famous floating crane!
Artist Tony Warren was born in Mulberry Quay, Falmouth in 1930, to a long line of Falmouth shipwrights After a short career in the docks, he became an apprentice sign writer with EH Moss of Falmouth He started painting professionally in 1978 and had a studio in Arwenack Street producing thousands of marine-themed paintings.
It is estimated he painted around 15,000 paintings during his lifetime Tony passed away in 1994, with his paintings hanging on walls around the world, including one at the British Research Station in Antarctica!
As part of the 80th D-Day commemorations, Pete Warren has decided to share the picture once again with the public to remember that May morning in 1944.
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