The soldier in this picture is Harold Brayne in uniform having joined the army here with his proud parents dated 1939-40. The Brayne family played a major part in supporting the life of the Knighton-Hammond family. At Ditchling, Mr and Mrs Brayne (Nathaniel and Ellen) took on the roles of handyman and housekeeper. As the couple were always on hand they were, along with son Harold, to feature in many of Knighton-Hammond’s paintings. Here the artist captures the character of each of the Brayne family. We are well aware the artist portrayed good likeness of his sitter but he also was a master at demonstrating the psychological likenesses. Each portrait has individuality resulting from his penetrating powers of observation. The composition clearly conveys human presence rather than mere artistic process, important though that is. The rich oil paint, applied as impasto, gives texture particularly to the modelling of the faces and in the articulation of the drapery. Mrs Brayne has a reassuring hand on her son’s shoulder and in turn Mr Brayne has a similarly reassuring hand on his wife’s shoulder. Knighton-Hammond was a master portraying hands with slight exaggerations making for greater expression. When the Knighton-Hammond family moved to Somerset in the latter part of 1940, Mr and Mrs Brayne moved with them. A while later they missed Ditchling so much they moved back.