Classic British Flight Sim

I hope it rains all summer - I've got some fantastic viewing lined up! The British Council has had it's archive collection of 1940s documentaries digitised (courtesy of Google) and has now released it for anybody to download and do anything they want with it.

http://film.britishcouncil.org/british- ... collection

They've released 80 so far (out of 120). They are 'Cultural Propaganda' (their own description) documentaries of about 10 minutes each and are designed to showcase the best of Britain - basically to show Johnny Foreigner what he's missing by not being British! They are absolutely charming and show the selected (good) bits of life in the 40s that make us yearn back to a simpler, happier time. I've watched three so far and have loved them.

This morning I watched 'British News No.1', a selection of newsreels from 1940 showing how we were squaring up to the Nazi menace. There was a long sequence of film shot at the evacuation of the BEF from Dunkirk. I don't think I'd seen any of it before. It was filmed from Destroyers, Dover docks and what looked like Clapham Junction railway station. I was in tears because, amongst those guys, somewhere, was my dad who came back to Dover on a Destroyer. None of them could have imagined the freedom, comfort and security that we, their children and grandchildren, now have thanks to their bravery and commitment. I could just imagine my dad sitting next to me on the sofa as I streamed vivid images of him and his mates at Dunkirk via an iPad on to a flatscreen TV. I can see him chuckling, shaking his head and saying he's 'tickled pink'. Well - you paid for it Dad! In more ways than one!

Ian

Ian, can I come over and watch those films with you and raid the frig?


If I don't hear from you I'll take as - no news is good news.....

From that I assume you can't view it over there, Joe? In which case, if you don't mind getting covered in cats' hairs, you're very welcome to join me on the sofa. I'll stock the fridge with bottles of Butcombe IPA and Domino's is just down the road. We'll go through them all (films, beers and pizzas!)

I've just watched one about Lloyds of London (shipping insurers) and there were guys out on the clifftop with signalling flags asking "Which ship are you?" and phoning it up to London so a clerk can write it onto a card for entry into the filing system. Dunno what they did at night, bad weather or if the crew were looking the other way. British built ships got an A1 rating because of the build quality. During the war ships couldn't radio their position so often went 'missing'. The underwriters then started selling off the cover to spread the loss. And then I watched one about Waterloo station during the war with porters and steam engines and 300 train movements in the two hour peak. Fascinating stuff.

See you later, Joe!

Ian

Great stuff Ian...thanks for the HU

I watched the one about making a bicycle and about the London River

Also watched the one about the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles, what a grim life

Joe, probably not available in the US as they're not subtitled

Good news from the Colonies, I just tried and could watch 'British News No.1'. Ian, thanks for posting the link. I see many hours ahead watching these.

Nigel²

Ian,
Thanks for the welcome mat. It's much appreciated.

I don't mind cats' hairs, how could I?