Overall: 41cm (16.1in) x 52cm (9in)
Provenance: Colonel (Edward) Roddy Hill, DSO (1904-1998)
Oil on panel. Portrait of ‘Judy’, wearing Foot Guards officer’s horse furniture comprising dark blue saddlecloth with single line of lace denoting an officer below field rank with Hunting type saddle and bearskin covers over the wallets. Signed and dated lower right ‘F. M. Hollams 1934’. Titled ‘Judy’ upper left. Label pasted verso: ‘This portrait is of Judy, my charger when I was adjutant of the 2nd Bn. I rode her on the King’s Birthday Parade in 1931 when the 2nd Bn. found the Parade. I was adjutant of the Parade. It shows Judy wearing the Coldstream state saddlery which is very plain compared with that of the regiments of Foot Guards. The picture was given to us as a wedding present by Richard Fox and was painted by his mother, the celebrated equine artist who painted under her maiden name M. Hollings [sic] ERH’. Panel: 33cm x 44cm. Framed.
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Colonel Roddy Hill DSO, DL, JP (1904-1999) was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1926 and married Rachel Hicks Beach in 1934. He served with the British Expeditionary France in France 1940, and took command of the 2nd Battalion during the Tunisian Campaign at the Battle of Longstop Hill in December 1942. After serving as Commandant of 18th Army Group Battle School, he returned to Britain and held various officer training posts. On 3 August 1944 he was appointed to the command of the 5th Battalion in the Guards Armoured Division, after the loss of three commanding officers in sixteen days in Normandy. His arrival did much to bolster morale, his presence reportedly combining ‘the very epitome of smart turnout’ and an air of imperturbability during the advance into Germany. Moreover his insistence on smart turnout extended to posting a drill sergeant on the start line for attacks to check the officers' dress was correct and complete with brass rank stars.
On 8 September 1944, he won the DSO when the 5th Battalion supported by tanks of the 1st (Armoured) Battalion Coldstream Guards, crossed the Albert canal and advanced to try to capture Bourg Leopold, launching five attacks in 36 hours. - ‘Immediately after crossing the bridge the Battalion became involved in most severe and difficult fighting against a determined enemy supported by anti-tank guns. Throughout that day and night at least three battalion attacks were put in and the Battalion suffered very heavy casualties in both officers and other ranks. Lieutenant-Colonel Hill commanded this group in an exemplary manner. Throughout this action his calmness and cheerfulness and acceptance of several unpleasant situations and his complete disregard of his own safety in going to see for himself were a splendid example of leadership, and there is no doubt that it was due to this officer that steady gains were made throughout a very difficult and expensive day and night. By pushing on relentlessly, the Battalion group opened the door for another operation, and thus made it possible for the battle to proceed successfully on a wider front.’
Frances Mabel Hollams (1877–1963) was the daughter of a London barrister and was raised at Dene Park, Kent, the home of her grandfather Sir John Hollams, lawyer. She studied under Frank Calderdon at School of Animal Painting at 54 Baker Street, at a time when most art schools refused women students. She specialized in horse and dog painting on panel and created a signature style of depicting them without background so that the subject stood out against the grain of the wood. In 1899 she was elected to the Society of Women Artists. She married Charles Lionel Fox, a land agent.