Cuthbert Orde

Captain Cuthbert Julian Orde (18 December 1888 – 19 December

1968) was an artist and First World War pilot. He is best known for
his war art, especially his portraits of Allied Battle of Britain pilots.

Contents
Family background
Military career
Artistic career
Selection of World War II portraits
Family
References
External links

Family background Cuthbert Orde in Royal Flying Corps

uniform, 1916

Orde was born on 18 December 1888 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk,[1]

the second of five children.[2] He attended Framlingham College
1902–07.[3]

His parents were Sir Julian Walter Orde (14 January 1861 – 17 June 1929) and Alice Georgiana Orde (née
Archdale) (1862–1945) of Hopton House, Hopton, Norfolk]].

Sir Julian was the long-serving – at least 1903[4] – 1914[5] – Secretary of the Automobile Car Club of Britain
and Ireland (which became the Royal Automobile Club). In response to the Motor Car Act 1903 raising the
speed limit to a mere 20 mph, in 1904 he went to the Isle of Man where, with permission of his cousin the
Governor, he started the TT races.[4]

He was also an early member of the Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom,[6] serving on its committees as
early as 1909.[7] It may be from here that his sons got their impetus to join the Royal Flying Corps.

The family had a strong military tradition going back several centuries. Orde's great-grandfather was Major-
General James Orde.[2]

Military career
Orde served throughout the First World War, starting by becoming a second lieutenant in the Army Service
Corps on 15 August 1914.[8]
He was a lieutenant when he qualified as a pilot for the Royal Flying Corps in a Maurice Farman biplane on
10 May 1916.[9] Accordingly, on 10 June 1916 he was promoted from Flying Officer (Observer) to Flying
Officer.[10]

On 1 August 1917 he was promoted to flight commander.[11] Because he had served in the early part of the
war, he was awarded the 1914 Star.[12] He was a captain by time of his application for the medal in December
1917. His home address for delivery of the medal was given as Apsley House, Piccadilly – his father-in-law's
house on Hyde Park Corner; Orde had married Lady Eileen Wellesley daughter of Arthur Wellesley, 4th Duke
of Wellington, in 1916.

He was given the rank of temporary major on 16 August 1918.[13] He relinquished his commission on 15
January 1919 on grounds of ill health, and retained the rank of captain.[14]

Both of Orde's brothers served in the war, and both died in a five-year period.

His younger brother Herbert Walter Julian Orde joined the navy before the war. An episode of bravery aboard
HMS Helmuth in November 1914 saw him awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in April 1915.[15] He
died a month later when HMS Goliath was torpedoed off the Dardanelles.[16]

Their elder brother Michael Amyas Julian Orde – like Cuthbert a second lieutenant in the Army Service Corps
– qualified as a pilot a few months before Orde, on 27 Oct 1915.[17] He was shot down and listed as missing
on 14 March 1916.[18] He was taken prisoner[19] and held until the end of the war. He died on 6 August 1920
in a flying accident on Salisbury Plain.[20] He was 32.[21]

Artistic career
Throughout his life Orde strongly identified himself as an artist. In the early 1920s he had a painting studio in
Paris. His entries in phone directories for forty years – 1929 up to his death in 1968 – register him as him
'Orde, Cuthbert; Artist'.[22]

In his book Pilots of Fighter Command: Sixty Four Portraits,[23] Orde wrote an essay[24] explaining the
circumstances of his portraits of World War II pilots.

Having been hired to produce illustrations of bomber stations in the summer of 1940, Air Commodore Harald
Peake from the Air Ministry saw some of Orde's drawings and was impressed by his portraiture. It was the
height of the Battle of Britain and public attention was focused on the fighter pilots. Peake asked Orde to make
a large number of portraits of them, Orde enthusiastically agreed, and at the start of September set off to work.

It is unclear how many portraits he drew in the year or so with RAF Fighter Command. Some sources say up
to 300, though Orde only lists 160 in his book Pilots of Fighter Command. What is clear is that he only drew a
small fraction of "The Few".

In no case did I choose the sitter myself. He was selected either by Group Headquarters or by the
station commander and, generally speaking, four or five in each squadron were chosen, the four
or five who were considered the most valuable. So it was for them rather in the nature of a
mention in dispatches, I merely being the scribe who wrote out the dispatch.

Taking around two hours per picture, Orde drew men whose names have become familiar to those interested
in the history of the Battle; Douglas Bader, Sailor Malan, Robert Stanford Tuck, Johnnie Johnson, Archie
McKellar, John Freeborn. He usually created monochrome pictures of the men using charcoal and white
chalk, though some colour portraits were painted, such as that of Bob Stanford Tuck[25] and a second portrait
of Sailor Malan.[26]

In drawing the cream of the pilots, names and uniforms soon became out of date as subjects were promoted
and decorated. On finishing his drawing of Hugh Dundas, Orde joked, 'I've left room for the DFC. The people
I draw always seem to get it'. Four days later Dundas did.[27]

The daily peril of these men's lives was apparent. Orde states that some choices were killed before he had
chance to draw them. Many did not live much longer after their portrait was done. John Drummond was
drawn on 5 October 1940, shortly after landing from what turned out to be his final kill, and is pictured still in
his aviator jacket instead of the uniformed outfit Orde commonly depicted. He died five days later.[28]
However, having flown in combat himself and lost both his brothers in military incidents twenty years earlier,
the proximity of death will not have been new to Orde.

Although all the pilots were lauded, Orde was clear that there was an elite among them.

I think a squadron of pilots can be divided into three groups: natural leaders and fighters at the
top; then the main body of solid talent containing the germ of leaders of the future, chaps whose
qualities will develop with experience; and then I suppose the tail, two or three perhaps, who will
never be quite good enough to earn distinction but who nevertheless are pulling their weight for
all it may be worth.

Despite this, he was adamant that the airmen's extraordinary deeds were the doings of ordinary people.

I have often been asked if I have found a definite type of Fighter pilot… I have thought about this
a lot, but I feel sure that the answer is 'No'… The most striking thing about the Fighter pilots –
'operational Fighter pilots', grand title that, isn’t it? – is their ordinariness. Just 'You, I, Us and
Co.', ordinary sons of ordinary parents from ordinary homes. So when you wonder where they
come from, dear reader, whoever you may be, contemplate your own home, your profession and
your background, and you have the answer. You have everything in common with them, or at
least I hope you have, for they are just people who read the poster that reads 'It all depends on
YOU'. They are not a race apart.

The drawings had already appeared in magazines even before the

book was published, and have been continually reprinted in a wide
variety of publications ever since.

Orde remained a professional artist, and was still taking commissions

for military portraits long after the war, such as one of Air Chief
Marshal Sir James Robb in 1958.[30]

He was an inaugural painter-member of the Society of Aviation

Artists, formed in 1955.[31] In 1962 a book review in Flight magazine
John Freeborn DFC* in front of his
declared, "Cuthbert Orde...whom no-one has managed to convey
portrait by Cuthbert Orde, 2004 (Lee
more effectively the character and courage of RAF fighter pilots".[32]
Brimmicombe-Wood)[29]
His work was also part of the painting event in the art competition at
the 1932 Summer Olympics.[33]

Selection of World War II portraits

David Moore Crook, Sailor Malan, 1940 Archie McKellar, Harold Bird-Wilson,
1940 1940 1940

Walter Churchill, John Dundas (ace), Bobby Oxspring, John Drummond,

c1941 1940 1940 1940

John Mungo-Park, Geoffrey Allard, Gerry Edge, 1941 Douglas Bader,

1940 1940 1941
 Alan Deere, 1941 James 'Johnnie' John "Cats Eyes" Sailor Malan, 1940
Johnson, 1943 Cunningham

Robert Stanford Harry Broadhurst,

Tuck, 1941 1941

Family
Orde married Lady Eileen Wellesley (13 February 1887 – 31 October 1952), daughter of Arthur Wellesley,
4th Duke of Wellington, on 11 September 1916[34] at St Bartholomew-the-Great, Smithfield, London.[35]
Eileen Orde died on 31 October 1952, aged 65.[36] Orde was remarried a year later, to Alexandra Dalziel.[37]
She died in London almost thirty years after her husband in May 1997, aged 89.[38]

They had two children. A daughter, Julian, was born on 31 December 1917.[39] Julian had been a common
name in the Orde family for generations, for both boys and girls. A second daughter, Jane, was born on 6
March 1921.[40] The National Portrait Gallery has several photographs of Eileen and the children taken in
May 1921.[41]

Julian became a poet, writer and actor. She married Ralph Abercrombie in London in 1949.[42] She died in
1974, aged 56.[39]

Jane married David Macindoe (1 Sept 1917-3 March 1986[43]), Vice-Provost of Eton College, in 1944. She
died on 7 July 1995, aged 74. They had four children, Peter (who died in infancy), Sophia, Angus and
Catriona.

References
1. England & Wales, Birth Index, 1837–1915: Yarmouth, Norfolk (1837–1924), Volume 4b, p18.
Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010.
2. Marquis de Ruvigny, The Blood Royal of Britain, Descendants, p521. Retrieved from
ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010.
 3. The Society of Old Framlinghamians, Distinguished Old Framlinghamians (http://www.oldframli
nghamian.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20070222160759583), retrieved 1 November
2010
4. Official Isle of Man TT site, The History of the TT (http://www.iomtt.com/History.aspx), retrieved
1 November 2010
5. Flight, p517 (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1914/1914%20-%200517.html), 5
May 1914, retrieved 1 November 2010
6. Flight, p260 (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1909/1909%20-%200258.html), 8
May 1909, retrieved 1 November 2010
7. Flight, p246 (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1909/1909%20-%200244.html), 1
May 1909, retrieved 1 November 2010
8. "No. 28873" (https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28873/page/6504). The London
Gazette. 18 August 1914. p. 6504.
9. Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificates, 1910–1950. Certificate 2897. Retrieved
from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
10. Flight, p562 (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200562.html), 6 July
1916, retrieved 1 November 2010
11. "No. 30237" (https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30237/supplement/8506). The London
Gazette (Supplement). 19 August 1917. p. 8506.
12. British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914–1920. Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31
October 2010
13. "London Gazette, 8 October 1918, p11866" (http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30942/pag
es/11866/page.pdf) (PDF). Retrieved 31 October 2010.
14. "Supplement to the London Gazette, 12 February 1919, p2226" (http://www.london-gazette.co.u
k/issues/31175/supplements/2226/page.pdf) (PDF). Retrieved 31 October 2010.
15. "Supplement to the London Gazette, 10 April 1915, p3550" (http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/is
sues/29123/supplements/3550). Retrieved 31 October 2010.
16. De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, 1914–1924, volume 2, p241. Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31
October 2010
17. Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificates, 1910–1950. Certificate 1954. Retrieved
from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
18. Flight, p242 (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200242.html), 23
March 1916, retrieved 1 November 2010
19. Flight, p370 (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200370.html), 4
May 1916, retrieved 1 November 2010
20. Flight, p896 (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1920/1920%20-%200894.html), 12
August 1920, retrieved 1 November 2010
21. England & Wales, Death Index: 1916–2005. District: Amesbury, Wiltshire. Deaths registered
Jul–Aug–Sept 1920. Volume 5a, p145. Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
22. 1929: London, Surnames A-Z, p962. 1931: London, Surnames L-Z, p1274. 1932, May: London,
Surnames L-Z, p1275. 1932, Nov: London, Surnames L-Z, p1283. 1933, May: London,
Surnames L-Z, p1284. 1933, Nov: London, Surnames L-Z, p1291. 1934, May: London,
Surnames L-Z, p1295. 1934, Nov: London, Surnames L-Z, p1301. 1937, May: London,
Surnames L-Z, p1868. 1938, Nov: London, Surnames L-Z, p1912. 1939, Nov: London,
Surnames L-Z, p1926. 1947: London Surnames L – R, p1982. 1948: London Surnames L – R,
p3539. 1949: London Surnames L – R, p3565. 1950: London Surnames L – R, p3585. 1952:
London Surnames L – R, p3630. 1955: London Surnames L – R, p2435. 1956: London
Surnames L – R, p2454. 1959: London Surnames L – R, p2414. 1960: London Surnames L –
R, p2422. 1961: London Surnames L – R, p2433. 1964: London Surnames L – R, p2435. 1965:
London Surnames L – R, p2450. 1966: London Surnames L – R, p2468. 1967: London
Surnames L – R, p2486. 1969: London Surnames L – R, p2493. British Phone Books, 1880–
1984, retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
23. Cuthbert Orde (1942), Pilots of Fighter Command: Sixty Four Portraits, GG Harrap, London
24. Reproduced in Battle of Britain Remembered, issue 5, September 2006. ISSN 1467-5145 (http
s://www.worldcat.org/search?fq=x0:jrnl&q=n2:1467-5145)
25. Wing Commander Robert Roland Stanford Tuck DSO, DFC & two Bars (http://navigator.rafmus
eum.org/results.do;jsessionid=6E890095292736F92953860661176A69?view=detail&db=obje
ct&pageSize=1&id=7613), RAF Museum online collections, retrieved 31 October 2010
26. Sqdn Ldr Adolph Gysbert Malan DSO, DFC (http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/results.do;jsessioni
d=6E890095292736F92953860661176A69?view=detail&db=object&pageSize=1&id=7603),
RAF Museum online collections, retrieved 31 October 2010
27. F/O HSL Dundas (https://web.archive.org/web/20110927231036/http://www.bbm.org.uk/Dunda
sHSL.htm), Battle of Britain Monument site, archived from the original (http://www.bbm.org.uk/D
undasHSL.htm) on 27 September 2011, retrieved 31 October 2010
28. John Fraser Drummond: 92 Squadron and the Battle of Britain (http://themerseysidefew.com/pil
ots/john-fraser-drummond/92-squadron-battle-of-britain/), The Merseyside Few, retrieved
31 October 2010
29. The Burning Blue, Research page 2 (http://www.airbattle.co.uk/b_research_2.html), Air Battle
site, retrieved 2 November 2010
30. Flight, p464 (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958%20-%200448.html), 4
April 1958, retrieved 1 November 2010
31. Flight (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1955/1955%20-%200377.html), 25 March
1955, retrieved 1 November 2010
32. Wynn, Humphrey (20 December 1962), "The Pen and the Air" (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfa
rchive/view/1962/1962%20-%203075.html), Flight International (2806), p. 981 – via
FlightGlobal archive
33. "Cuthbert Orde" (https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/920517). Olympedia. Retrieved 2 August
2020.
34. Guildhall, St Bartholomew the Great, Register of marriages, 1914–1934, P69/BAT3/A/01/Ms
6779/9. Retrieved from 'London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754–1921', ancestry.co.uk,
31 October 2010
35. "Personals" (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200776.html),
Flight, 8 (36), p. 772, 7 September 1916 – via FlightGlobal archive
36. Person page 10382 (http://www.thepeerage.com/p10382.htm), Thepeerage.com, retrieved
1 November 2010
37. England & Wales, Marriage Index, 1916–2005: Westminster Marriages Register, July–August–
September 1953, Volume 5c, p825. Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
38. England & Wales, Death Index: 1916–2005: Westminster, Register number: E41C, District and
Subdistrict: 2581E, Entry number: 83. Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
39. England & Wales, Death Index: 1916–2005. Marylebone, deaths registered July August
September 1974, Volume 14, p1837. Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
40. England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916–2005. District: St Geo H Sq, deaths registered Apr May
Jun 1921, Volume 1a, p708. Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
41. "NPG x37314 – NPG x37319" (http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person.php?search=s
s&firstRun=true&sText=orde&LinkID=mp61747), National Portrait Gallery site, retrieved
31 October 2010
42. England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916–2005. Hampstead, Jul–Aug–Sep 1949, Volume 5c,
p2250. Retrieved from ancestry.co.uk, 31 October 2010
43. Obituaries, 1986 (http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228604.html), Wisden
Almanac 1987, retrieved 1 November 2010

External links
Inventory of Orde's art held by the RAF Museum (http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/results.do?vie
w=detail&db=person&mode=1&id=8456), including scans of many.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cuthbert_Orde&oldid=987255095"

This page was last edited on 5 November 2020, at 21:55 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.