Blitz: The Bombs That Changed Britain

Editorial

BBC Four

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

BBC 4

Documentaries

Factual: History

Series examining the effects of individual bombs that fell during the Blitz

Series examining the effects of individual bombs that fell during the Blitz, from their initial impact on individual lives right through to their consequences for World War Two and the present day.

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

BBC Four HD

Shaun Dooley

Kate Misrahi

Tim Kirby

Cate Hall

Francesca Maudslay

Wall to Wall Media

Blitz: The Bombs That Changed Britain: Series 1: Episode 4

Episode 4

Series 1

BBC Two - Blitz: The Bombs That Changed Britain, Series 1, Episode 4

Looking at the impact of the incendiary bomb that set fire to St Peter's Church, Bristol.

Documentary series examining the impact of four individual bombs during the Blitz. A look at the impact of the incendiary bomb that set fire to St Peter's Church, Bristol, in 1940.

During the Blitz, over 450,000 bombs dropped on Britain and every bomb has its own story. This series examines the specific effect of four bombs, from their initial impact on individual lives, right through to their wider consequences for the Second World War, and all the way to the present day. Each episode begins with a single bomb in a single street in a single place - London, Hull, Clydebank and Bristol. Across the series, incredible personal testimony, gut-wrenching memoirs and the meticulous records kept at the time provide a visceral and terrifying account of the Blitz that directly connects with the human experience of the bombs. As survivors and relatives attest, these bombs touched the lives of everyone and created a legacy we all still live with today.

This episode looks at the deadly impact of an incendiary bomb that sets fire to St Peter's Church in the historic heart of Bristol. Before November 1940, the Castle Street area was full of shops, businesses and homes all served by St Peter's. But on the night of Sunday 24 November 1940, the German bomber aircraft came.

That evening, Geoffrey Serle and his father had been attending church when the raid began, and almost 80 years later, he recounts the terror and their desperate attempt to find shelter amongst the chaos. Bill Hares was a tobacconist in nearby Merchant Street and the film explores his carefully preserved account of that November night when Bristol's firefighters simply couldn't cope. Bev Reynolds also tells his father's story - he was a police driver who tried to help the firefighting effort. Following the bomb, Castle Street's residents and workers took in the dreadful damage the Luftwaffe had done. One local photo journalist stepped in to take pictures of the devastation, telling a human story of the bombs that many at the time would never see thanks to government censorship.

Blitz: The Bombs That Changed Britain: Series 1

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Examining the specific effect of four bombs dropped during the Blitz.

Examining the specific effect of four bombs dropped during the Blitz, from their initial impact on individual lives through to the present day.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Blitz: The Bombs That Changed Britain

Series 1

Episode 4

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC Four

About BBC Four