In 1942 Stanley Lewis was posted from Ranby Army Camp in Nottinghamshire to the 66th Searchlight Regiment in Somerset, part of the Gloucester Regiment based at Bristol.

The S/L Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel MacWaters, was at Kingweston House near Yeovil. The Colonel was pleased to have an artist as one of his soldiers. MacWaters asked Lewis to make a commemorative picture of the searchlights for the Regiment.

Lewis recalls "(Colonel MacWaters) had a list of 15 possible subjects. I looked them up, and many were rubbish! However one seemed to fit - Morning Maintenance - soldiers cleaning and polishing the searchlight. He said a sergeant would take me to any site in Somerset and Dorset and try to find a suitable site for such a picture to be painted. "

"I went to 3 or 4 sites without luck. Then I arrived at Low Ham, it was perfect, on the edge of an old apple orchard and best of all Glastonbury Tor was in the background! I was signed on as one of the crew to operate the Searchlight. The Colonel gave me leave to travel home to fetch my big easel and paints.

In Yeovil I bought a very good canvas and I soon got working on the painting. Every hour off duties I hauled out my easel beside the searchlight and I painted every detail out in the open air."

The 22” x 36” canvas, painted at Low Ham in Somerset during 1943, incorporated and accurately portrayed every member of the searchlight crew.

The painting was to be framed in London. The Colonel, however, concerned that important radar equipment installed on the searchlight might be seen by German spies, took it to Bristol under an armed guard to be framed.

Stanley never saw the painting again but hoped that after the war, it found a safe home where people could enjoy it.

The current whereabouts of the painting remain a mystery.

If you have any information regarding the current status or location of this painting, please contact the Newport Museum and Art Gallery.

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