Victory Parade
Soldiers from the far reaches of the British Empire arrive in London to take part in the official commemoration of the end of war in Europe.
Soldiers from the far reaches of the British Empire arrive in London to take part in the official commemoration of the end of war in Europe, a lavish state ceremony that took place over a year after actual V.E Day, on 8th July 1946.
Filmed by the Colonial Film Unit (an offshoot of the Ministry of Information), the film follows the arrival of various international brigades as they gather at London's Colonial Office for an audience with Prime Minister Celement Atlee. Extended footage of the ceremony itself shows marching columns from numerous nations parading down the Mall before assembled royalty and politicians, including King George VI, Winston Churchill and a young Queen Elizabeth II.Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the event was mired in controversy after Polish forces were excluded, symptomatic of the cooling of relations between East and West following Churchill's famous ‘Iron Curtain' speech earlier that year. The parade would also mark one of the last great jamborees of the greater British Empire, which was already enduring a slow process of disintegration following the end of the war.
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World War II: The Home Front
Sandbags and searchlights, firefighters battling blazing streets; trains packed with departing children or servicemen... film has given us some of our most enduring images of the Second World War.
The outbreak of the war saw cinemas closed as a public safety measure, but government soon realised film’s value for propaganda and morale. Feature films and novelty shorts brought audiences entertainment and some relief from fear, anxiety and grief. Official propaganda disseminated vital messages about the war effort or the dangers of careless talk. Meanwhile, newsreels, instructional and informational films delivered reports from the battlefields and practical advice.
In hindsight\, among the most valuable films are amateur ones – watched by only a handful in their own time – which give us a matchless insight into ordinary life behind the blackout curtains. This collection brings together an extraordinary range of material capturing the experience of life under fire.
