TV series The West at War featuring Bristol residents talking about their World War II experiences. Part 1: In the Front Line. Defence preparations, Anderson shelters, barrage balloons, air raid practices. Covert intelligence gathering by Mass Observation to monitor public morale described by operative Nina Hibbin. Fear of invasion after Dunkirk leading to creation of defence line from Weston-super-Mare across Mendips to Frome. Home Guard on Weston-super-Mare pier. Children collecting pots and pans for salvage drive. Recruitment of women to war effort by summer 1940, driving ambulances and working in munitions factories. Drive to increase producton at Bristol Aeroplane Company. Luftwaffe targeting Filton factory, workers describing experience of raid and high casualty rate. Part 2: The Bristol Blitz Nov 1940 targeting port. Unprepared civilians dismissing warnings, describing aftermath and destruction of city including severity of raid, intensity of fire and traumatic aftermath. Goverment propaganda denying scale of casualties, in contrast to evidence in Mass Observation reports. Growing dissatisfaction with public shelters causing people to take refuge in surrounding countryside, spending nights in Avon Gorge, Portway Tunnel and brick works. Poor conditions causing disease, difficulty working after sleepless nights in the open. Severe winter 1940/41, lack of water and heat, Red Cross intervention. Public shelters badly hit in the most devastating raid on 16 Mar 1941 and traumatic results. Further major raid 11 Apr 1941. Growing anger at lack of publicity about Bristol's plight, 100,000 homes destroyed, 1,200 killed and 3,000 injured. Hostile reaction to Winston Churchill visit intended to boost morale. Part 3: The Struggle for Survival. Spring 1941 hasty evacuation of children to Devon and Cornwall, selection process, hostile reception and separation of siblings. Bristol Blitz ends as theatre of war moves to East. War work for women made compulsory, women talking about working in industry and the Land Army. German bombing of Bath as part of Baedeker raids, people talking of their experience of Bath Blitz, scenes of destruction as 20,000 homes damaged or destroyed and over 400 killed in 2 nights of saturation bombing. Effect of U-boat disruption of supply chain causing reduced operations at Avonmouth and Bristol docks and food shortages, people talking of queuing, being hungry and introduction of food and clothes rationing 1942. Making clothes from blankets and salvage drives, removing railings from public buildings. Bristol College Green dancing and British Restaurant canteen. Graphic account from survivor of Broadweir bus bombing 28 August 1942, scenes of immediate aftermath. Part 4: The Road to Victory. Arrival of GIs in South West, scenes of dancehalls, social effects. More black GIs stationed in West than elsewhere in Britain, segregated black platoon marching through street. Account of racist tensions between white and black GIs, abuse at Colston Hall, fighting on Bristol streets and brutal treatment of black GIs by US militrary police. Introduction of creches enabling women to work, influence of women in improving factory working conditions, introduction of canteens and entertainment to boost morale. Bristol parades celebrating key victories 1943/1944. Account and scenes of conversion of Monkton Farleigh stone mines to munitions store by large local workforce in preparation for D day invasion Jun 1944. People's fear of V1 doodlebug rockets reaching Bristol foiled by allied discovery of their launch sites in France. Heavy losses of service personnel. Woman talking of husband having gone missing, death not confirmed for 6 months, contrast with scenes and accounts of VE day celebrations in Bristol, and civic celebration of VJ day Jul 1945. Experience of public and personal loss and survivor guilt. Filton factory war memorial. Contributors: Ken Baker, Bert Mullen, Arthur Backhurst, Gerald Smith, Paula Knight, Gladys Locke, Robert Lloyd, Bob Chapple, Irene Crewe, Ken Reed, Madge Reed, Tess Broughton, Ernest Smith, Iris Caple, Joyce Storey, Paula Knight, Mabs Holland, Joan Taylor, Doreen Wall, Betty Screen, Amy Granton, Margaret Lowrie, Eric Banham, Connie Whale, ? Pursey. Abrupt segue into a recording of a different tv programme narrated by Fred Wedlock: Target Filton about bombing raid on RAF Filton Sep 1940. History of aviation technology at Filton, production of Blenheim and Bowfighter planes and aero engines. Poorly defended, targetted by Luftwaffe. Details of raid strategy, defence reaction. Operations from Rudloe Manor RAF station near Box. Workers describing air raid precautions, going to shelter, seeing enemy aircraft and air battle overhead, being bombed. Film of German planes dropping 168 bombs and description of damage and casualties. Realisation that defence of West inadequate, steps taken to improve. RAF response to further raids on Bristol. Accounts of air battles from former RAF and German airmen participants, including a German who landed in a tree near Radstock, attacked by women and farmer with gun. Scene of their reunion. Success of RAF defence of Parnall Aircraft factory at Yate making gun turrets and Spitfire parts. NB Potentially disturbing graphic eyewitness accounts
