Dean Nicholas

Colour Footage Of The Blitz Discovered

Rare colour film of London at the height of the Blitz has been uncovered. The amateur footage, shot by the Mayor of Marylebone, A.E. Reneson Coucher OBE, shows the remnants of landmarks such as the John Lewis on Oxford Street and the Baker Street Bazaar. For a conflict that is usually seen through the distancing prism of black-and-white, the film dramatically brings home the destruction wrought on London, particularly the aerial shot of a bright red bus crawling through the rubble of Cripplegate. The film will be available on 7th September on the West End at War website, as part of the 70th anniversary of the Blitz; a three-minute clip can be viewed at the Telegraph.