The Enigmatic Renn

Ronald Percy Renn (b. 1912), known enigmatically by his surname, was a Melbourne cartoonist active from the 1930s through to the early 1950s. During this time he drew cartoons of politics, sports, "women's issues" and the second world war (in which he served). From the 1950s onwards, he turned his hand to advertisements and then to his life-long passion for painting. The cartoons collected on this website have been compiled by his grandson from Renn's personal collection.

Thursday 1 January 2015

The War Cartoons (1939-1945)

War broke out in Europe in 1939 and this event quickly came to dominate the news in Australia and, consequently, Renn's cartooning. It also soon dominated his life as he enrolled in the AIF in 1940 and served until 1946. The final couple of cartoons in this section, which were drawn upon his return, reflect his relief at the end of the conflict.

One interesting point of trivia is that in the final cartoon on demobilisation, the army bag which the demobilised soldier is carrying bears Renn's own service number: 29779. Renn's original army bag bearing that number was kept in the same metal box with his cartoons and other drawings.

Undated

1939

The Age, 2 September 1939

Illustrated envelopes
[Renn drew these cartoons on envelopes for soldiers to send back home. These were most likely drawn in Palestine.]

Australia, October 1943

The Australasian, 27 October 1945

The Australasian, 29 December 1945

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