BLITZ ANNIVERSARY

Technicolour heroes

A beautiful new project showcasing an impressive breadth of modern artistic responses to historical records from the Blitz (7 Sep 1940 – 11 May 1941) has vibrantly brought back to the surface some of Bristol’s remarkable wartime stories

Three Bristol artists have contributed beautiful new work to a collection marking 80 years since the start of the Blitz and depicting life during this period of World War II. Commissioned by family history brand Ancestry, the 80 different works are all based on real-life untold stories from the areas hit hardest by the Blitz, including Bristol – whose historical records and images local creatives Anna Marrow, Andy Council and Nay Groves have interpreted to celebrate lesser-sung local acts of heroism and bring to life extraordinary efforts through their own contemporary styles.

Anna Marrow chose to showcase the bravery of University of Bristol librarian James Cox, who cycled through an air raid to respond to an elderly woman’s cries for help, after an incendiary bomb fell through her roof. James knocked a hole in the ceiling and caught the bomb in a basin, before smashing his hand through a window to throw it outside. Despite suffering burns and cuts to his hands, James cycled to the university to put out a fire on the roof of the new library block.

“I was particularly inspired by the incredibly brave librarian, fighting fires with already wounded hands,” says Anna, “and I wanted my image to have a feeling of ‘boys own adventure’ annuals, combining the nostalgia and heroism in the story.’’

Andy Council depicted two police constables who managed to recover the bodies of enemy airmen from a crashed plane at Portishead Dock while Nay Groves created an image of Private Arthur Hill and Sergeant Arthur Saunders, who were on duty at the hospital train during every air raid and worked hard to save trains from catching fire. “One night documented the duo rescuing a man found unconscious on the railway tracks,” says Nay. “They carried the man over a quarter of a mile, dodging huge bomb craters and regularly falling flat on the ground to avoid nearby bomb blasts. I wanted my artworks to evoke the stoicism of the people in stories such as these and their ability to continue with the task at hand despite the chaos going on around them.”

The collection was inspired by the War Artists Advisory Committee, established at the outbreak of World War II by the government’s Ministry of Information. Its aim was to compile a comprehensive artistic record of Britain throughout the war and by the end of World War II it included 5,570 pieces. The Civilian Gallantry Award records – a treasure trove of stories – highlight the incredible, often dangerous work carried out by air raid wardens, first aid workers, firewatchers and messengers, with vivid details of the exploits and heroic deeds of civilians fighting a war away from the battlefields and making sacrifices on the home front. Using artistic mediums ranging from digital illustration to oil painting, 33 UK artists have created contemporary interpretations of records and images. “As we mark the 80th anniversary of the start of the Blitz, a time of tragedy but a time that truly demonstrated the great British spirit, we wanted to pay tribute to the original War Artists Advisory Committee by adding our own update,” said Russell James, family history expert at Ancestry. “By preserving these stories in a new and engaging way, we hope we can shine a light on what our families went through and encourage people to discover their connection to the Blitz.”

The collection coincides with Ancestry’s launch of StoryScout which helps users create an engaging narrative of their ancestors’ lives. ■ • Visit ancestry.co.uk/Blitz80 or follow #Blitz80 on social media Crash Recovery, by Andy Council