Britain at War in Colour: Unique Images of Britain in the Second World War

by Stewart Binns, Adrian Wood, Wood Binns

Colour photography was still in its infancy in 1939. With the outbreak of war against Germany, the short supply of color film stock made color photographs even more rare. But some were taken and a few of them have survived. Most of these images have remained unseen for decades. But now the producers of the ITV series Britain at War in Colour have scoured the archives to unearth a remarkable collection of startling color images. The photographs are presented with a brief outline of the events surrounding them and illuminate a unique selection of personal accounts of the war. Intimate letters and diaries of service men and women, civilians, and war-time leaders tell the story of the British experience of war.

Genres: World War II, Photography, Reference, Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Stewart Binns began his professional life as an academic. He then pursued several adventures, including a stint at the BBC, before settling into a career as a schoolteacher, specializing in history. Later in life, a lucky break took him back to the BBC, which was the beginning of a successful career in television. He has won a BAFTA, a Grierson, an RTS and a Peabody for his documentaries. Stewart's passion is English history, especially its origins and folklore. Conquest is his first novel.

Reviews

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book is nothing more than a TV tie-in, I found myself really enjoying it - due to its brevity and excellent colour photographs. Really, this slim volume is all about the pictures, which although slightly staged bring the era to life, both at home and in the various theatres, too.

The accompanying text is simple and to the point. The book is divided into half a dozen sections, presented chronologically, looking at each stage of the war and the participants and effects on human life. After this comes a series of diary extracts from both housewives suffering the privations of rationing and soldiers experiencing the horrors of war.

Tone-wise, this avoids the kind of graphic descriptions of combat found in other accounts, but I found it fascinating nonetheless, particularly in the details of daily life. Sections about the impact of American GIs on lonely British women and the nature of Japanese fighters were of particular interest to me.

Hardly a unique book, but a recommended one nonetheless, probably best for those whose knowledge of the war is limited - like me.