Bombed Out

Southwark
1945
Silent
8m

Step into the aftermath of a WWII bombing raid in south London in this startling amateur film.

If you weren't there to experience the Blitz and its aftermath, then this is probably as close as you would like to get. The German V1 rocket seen flying overhead places this film in the last 12 months of the war, and the citizens of Southwark appear well-practiced in picking up the pieces of their decimated neighbourhood. By the end of the film the worst is over, as the Royal family are driven through crowd-lined streets and kids enjoy a victory party.

Amateur footage of wartime London.

Life Under Fire

The horror of Luftwaffe bombs coloured daily life in Britain's cities and beyond, and war brought myriad daily hardships besides. But Britain could take it!

The Blitz receded after May 1941, but even after the Battle of Britain, the nation faced a barrage of incendiary bombs, V-1s and V-2s. While young men fought Axis powers across three continents, their families listened anxiously to the wireless, while many worried too about children far from home. But in the face of the destruction, sirens, blackouts and hours in shelters, the now-legendary 'Blitz spirit' kept despair at bay. Britain held her nerve thanks to mutual support, defiance and wit - plus a good grumble and as many cups of tea as rationing allowed.