The pioneering role of women in wartime photography is spotlighted in an intriguing collection of photographs newly revealed by Historic England to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Still from a film produced by the RAF Film Production Unit during the Second World War, showing airmen around the propeller of an aircraft.
Although perhaps more famous for the ‘James Bond’ and ‘Carry On’ franchises, during the Second World War, Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire was known as RAF Iver Heath — a base for the RAF Film Production Unit (RAFFPU) and the Army Film and Photographic Unit (AFPU). They produced vital newsreels and coverage of key events, which helped keep the public informed and supportive of the war effort. Notable British talents were there, such as a young Richard Attenborough, as was the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), the contributions of which to photography and reconnaissance during the Second World War have perhaps been undersold.
Portrait of the first intake of WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) recruits to undertake training at the RAF's No. 2 School of Photography in Blackpool.
This extraordinary collection of some 150 photographs was put together by Dorothy ‘Knicky’ Chapman, who was part of the first intake of the WAAF at the No.2 School of Photography in Blackpool, Lancashire, before being posted to Pinewood. Photographers skilled in aerial reconnaissance were urgently needed, so WAAF training proved vital, keeping up with rapid advancements in intelligence-bringing military air photography. In Chapman’s collection, women are shown at work, for example, processing film in mobile darkrooms, but also at play, participating in sports or dramatic productions. It’s a glimpse into their unique wartime world, about which not much is known; Historic England hopes the collection’s release will kickstart better communication with the public, who are invited to share personal stories of women who served in the RAFFPU or WAAF —email communications@historicengland.org.ukbefore May 25.
A British Bulldog in RAF uniform, at RAF Iver Heath, Pinewood Studios.
Chapman, who had previously attended art school to study photography, married her course instructor and continued in her chosen career, later taking a job at the Science Museum creating microfiche. It’s likely many of her WAAF peers left photography behind altogether after the war, yet these are women ‘who broke barriers in military photography,’ comments Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross, and ‘this collection honours their contribution to our national story. Their legacy will continue to inspire future generations’.
Three WAAF officers having tea aboard an RAF aeroplane. The woman in the centre is Knicky Knapman (later Chapman), with two of her fellow WAAF officers, presumably also instructors at the RAF's No.2 School of Photography in Blackpool.
‘We continue to host an annual Service of Remembrance at Pinewood, giving special recognition to the wartime film and photographic units who trained and worked here,’ adds David Conway, chief executive officer of the Pinewood Group.
Visit the Historic England website to view the collection
-
A woolly mammoth skeleton is among the curiosities for sale to save fire-ravaged Parnham ParkThe auction of the owner James Perkins' collection, hosted by Dreweatts, tomorrow (May 13), will be used to fund renovation works at Parnham Park in Dorset.
-
The ‘utterly unique’ skincare brand that’s used in the ‘world’s best hotel’ spaThe Seed to Skin brand was the byproduct of one woman’s length fertility journey — it’s so good that today it’s used in a hotel voted the ‘world’s best’.
-
The final designs for Queen Elizabeth II's national memorial have been released — now it's time to have your say -
Josephine Baker and the remarkable women of espionage who helped win the Second World WarOn the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we salute five women who worked tirelessly in the shadows to bring about an Allied victory.
-
The young British flower farmers championing sustainable growingFlower growing is hard work, but the rewards — including minimising Britain’s huge flower importing carbon footprint — far outweigh the negatives, say three young growers.
-
Sir David Attenborough: 'The next 100 years could either witness a mass extinction of ocean life or a spectacular recovery'Sir David Attenborough has co-authored a book and narrated a new film to mark his 99th birthday.
-
‘Greece — it’s eternal and makes me feel ancient and youthful at the same time’: Isabel Ettedgui’s Consuming PassionsThe owner of Connolly reveals what she would take to a desert island and why she once waited four years to get a supper reservation.
-
'It was like Fawlty Towers at first': How diversification keeps the country house standingFrom festivals and car shows, to spas and wedding venues, country house owners are getting creative to keep their estates alive.
-
Sign of the times: In the age of the selfie, what’s happening to the humble autograph?When Ringo Starr announced that he was no longer going to sign anything, he kickstarted a celebrity movement that coincided with the advent of the camera phone and selfie. Rob Crossan asks whether, in today’s world, the selfie holds more clout than an autograph?
-
These are J. M. W Turner's 11 best paintings, as chosen by Britain's top curators, art historians and creative mindsCold moonlight, golden sunset and shimmering waters are only three reasons to love Turner. On the 250th anniversary of his birth, curators, art historians and other creative minds reveal which of his paintings they’d hang on their walls and why.
