A new BBC 2 documentary, Children Of The Blitz, has been awarded a five-star rating for its deeply moving portrayal of survivors of the Second World War bombing campaigns. The film, directed by Jack Warrender, captures the harrowing experiences of those who lived through the Blitz, many now in their 90s or older, and highlights the lifelong trauma inflicted by the conflict.
Personal Stories of Loss and Resilience
The programme features a handful of survivors sharing their memories, avoiding the usual cliches such as St Paul's Cathedral surviving intact or royal visits to the East End. Instead, it uses maps splattered with inkblots to show where bombing was heaviest. Among the most poignant accounts is that of 92-year-old Jean Whitfield, who recounts the tragic death of her mother. After a night of bombing, Jean was taken for a walk by a relative. Minutes later, her mother was hanging out washing in a communal yard when a time-bomb exploded. Jean visits the common grave where her mother and others were interred, saying, 'I think it's so sad that nobody cared enough to give her a proper grave.'
Lifelong Effects of War
Other stories reveal the lasting psychological scars. Patsy Moneypenny, who died after filming, was rendered mute for years after a bomb came through the roof of her family home in Belfast. 'Everything was on fire,' she said. 'It must have been horrific for my mum trying to get me out.' Sent to the country, Patsy developed a nervous habit of rubbing pieces of cloth together to calm herself, a compulsion she retained for life. Such details underscore the intensity of the trauma left by war.
Dramatic and Amusing Anecdotes
The documentary also includes dramatic accounts, such as 92-year-old Ted Bush's story of returning from the cinema to find his house flattened along with half the street. Lighter moments emerge from sibling bickering: John Cheetham and Cynthia Fowler from Hull argue over whether their Anderson shelter had corrugated iron around the door. 'It jolly well did,' insisted John, 'I cut my ear on it.'
The film's director, Jack Warrender, wisely chose not to wait for another wartime anniversary to produce this documentary. As 101-year-old Dorothea Barron remarked with a wry chuckle, 'So few of us are left — we're all popping our clogs quite frequently.' The result is a powerful and essential record of a generation's experiences, now in danger of being lost forever.
