History
It would certainly require a lot of resilience to maintain a positive attitude during this period, particularly for Londoners. Many had to spend the night in shelters, either in their gardens or in the stations of the London Underground. However, there is also evidence that the Blitz spirit was a myth, it was just propaganda by the British government to make it seem like people were persevering in order to inspire others. One of the most famous images of the Blitz was faked. This photograph of a milkman making his rounds, despite the destruction around him, is seen by many as an example of the spirit of the Blitz. But, it was setup by a photographer called Fred Morley who dressed his assistant up in a milkman’s uniform and made him walk over the rubble for the photograph. There was also a sharp increase in crime during the Blitz as people looted shops to get hold of food and other goods. When Tom Harrison visited Coventry in 1940, he reported, ‘Women were seen to cry, to scream, to tremble all over, to faint, to attack a fireman and so on. There were scenes of dislocation and depression. The overwhelmingly dominant feeling was utter helplessness.’ Dame Vera Lynn The death of Dame Vera Lynn on 18th June 2020 was met with sadness across the country as her songs helped to motivate the British people, including the armed forces, during the Second World War. She toured army bases including India and Egypt to perform for the troops. In 1939, a poll by the Daily Express found she was the favourite entertainer of servicemen. During the Covid-19 epidemic, her album re-entered the charts as people again looked to her music for motivation. Her wartime classic, ‘We’ll meet again’ was referenced by the Queen in April 2020 during her speech. You can listen to this song following the QR code above.
TASK Your challenge is to inspire the British public by encouraging the spirit of the Blitz. You could do this by designing a poster, writing a newspaper article, making a song or coming up with a set of leaflets and posters as part of a government campaign to raise morale. You could also produce a fitting memorial piece for Dame Vera Lynn. The films on British Pathe may help to give you some ideas, use the QR code to access them
10
YOU R S U MMER BO O KL ET
Delta Academies Trust
