A Second World War Plaster Bust of Flight Lieutenant Allan Triggs M.B.E., D.F.C., R.A.A.F.

Modelled and cast by Barbara Tribe

Literature: Barbara Tribe, Sculptor, (2000), Patricia R. Macdonald, Sydney

Tribe commenced her airman portrait busts in April 1943 whilst working by day for the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments where she formed part of a highly qualified team of eight whose task was record historic buildings under the threat of destruction from enemy bombing. The R.A.A.F. portraits were initiated by a chance visit in 1941 to Australia House where she met Lance Sergeant R.J. Waters, A.I.F. Waters was enthusiastic about sitting for a portrait and the resultant plaster bust was exhibited at the Cooling Galleries, New Bond Street. Waters was posted to Middle East and then to New Guinea, but before he left London he spoke enthusiastically about Tribe’s work to Air Vice-Marshal Henry Wrigley, an Australian veteran of the 1914-18 air war in France and Flanders, who in 1943 commanded R.A.A.F. Overseas Headquarters at Australia House. Wrigley realised an opportunity to immortalize in sculpture the contribution his countrymen were making to winning the war through Tribe’s work.
Accordingly Wrigley arranged for the Spitfire ace Squadron Leader Bobby Gibbes, who had recently returned from the North African desert, to sit for Tribe. Working in clay from April to autumn 1943, Tribe sculpted her subjects from life in sessions stretching over the course of a number of evenings. The clay model of each sitter was rendered permanent by the production of a mould and taking from it a plaster cast, each of these processes were performed by Tribe herself in 1943. When Gibbes’ bust was finished, Wrigley despatched in succession Flt. Lt. Allan Triggs, M.B.E., D.F.C.; Sqdn. Ldr. Martin, D.S.O., D.F.C.; navigator Flt. Lt. Charles Leister; Sqdn. Ldr. Colin Braidwood Walker, D.S.O.; and rear gunner (Warrant Officer) Norman Williams, C.G.M., D.F.M. & bar. Tribe completed the series by modelling and casting in plaster a bust of Wrigley himself. Gibbes was subsequently to have his plaster bust cast in to bronze by the renowned art founders Morris Singer. The R.A.F. Museum, Hendon, and the Australian War Memorial collection at Canberra later acquired second edition bronze casts of the Gibbes bust. Between 1968-70 Canberra acquired bronzes taken from the original plaster busts offered here of Wing Commander Martin and Flight Lieutenant Triggs, in addition to The Rear Gunner (Norman Williams), all three being cast by the London bronze founders John Galizia & Sons. Finally in 1986 the original plaster of Jimmy Waters was used to produce a bronze version also for the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Lieutenant Allan William Russell Triggs, MBE, DFC of 172 Squadron RAAF. In August 1943 Lieutenant Triggs was engaged in night patrol duties over the Bay of Biscay when one engine of his Wellington failed and he was forced to ditch in the sea. Owing to Trigg's actions, the crew survived the crash and the next six days at sea until they could be rescued. Trigg's courage and leadership during this ordeal led to the award of the MBE. Later in 1942 and in 1943 Triggs carried out aerial night attacks on submarines, on one occasion returning successfully after an engine had fallen from his aircraft into the sea. For these actions Triggs and his navigator, Colin Badham, received the DFC.