Wartime harvesting

From the collection of

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton collects, preserves, catalogues and provides public access to its collection of films and magic lantern slides. The collection charts the rise of screen culture in the region and the nation and captures many aspects of life, work and creativity in the South East from the late 19th century to the present day. It is available for research, screenings, creative re-use and commercial access.

Wartime harvesting

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton
Otford
1944-01-01
Silent
5m

World War II's Food Front is seen here in the fields of Kent as farmers labour to get the harvest in on time. By way of entertainment, a barrage balloon sinks majestically to earth.

This nostalgic film shows how even in wartime, gathering in the harvest was of prime importance. However, there's little automation to be seen apart from the odd tractor and a reaper-binder machine in operation. Otherwise, the harvest is gathered in by hand. Men gather the sheaves and stack them on horse-drawn carts while children try to help. Then it's time for some family relaxation after which a barrage balloon is seen gently descending in the pastoral landscape.

This film from the late summer of 1944 shows harvesting scenes in Otford, Kent, which is close to the present-day M25. At that time, Otford would have been directly under the flightpath of the V1 flying bomb, one of Hitler's terror weapons. The V1 campaign began a week after D-Day, June 6th, and was countered by, amongst other things, hundreds of barrage balloons suspended above the Kent countryside. It is one of these balloons which can be seen floating down to earth in the film.

Dig for Victory

Keeping the nation fed and healthy was the greatest priority of the Home Front. Women replaced absent farm workers, while ordinary Britons were exhorted to 'grow their own'.

'Dig for Victory' was perhaps the most successful official campaign of the Home Front. Britons in their millions picked up their trowels, and acre after acre of parkland, waste ground - even back gardens - was repurposed as makeshift vegetable plots. Just as the factories were constantly increasing their productivity, great efforts were made to increase agricultural yields, while the 'land girls' of the Women's Land Army enthusiastically took the place of farmworkers fighting overseas.