Wartime filmmaking photos released to mark VE Day

A collection of photographs featuring "pioneering" female military photographers has been released to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Historic England's (HE) archive images show the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) training in Blackpool, Lancashire.

The 150-image collection shows women learning how to process films in mobile darkrooms, plotting aerial photographs and simulating work under active service conditions during World War Two.

It was put together by Dorothy "Knicky" Chapman, who was part of the first intake at the No. 2 School of Photography in Blackpool. She was later posted to Pinewood Studios, the central hub of military filmmaking.

The WAAF was founded in 1939 to fill non-combat roles in the RAF.

Chapman volunteered to join it before conscription was introduced.

She was part of the first intake of 26 women to be trained at the school in 1941.

The school was established to meet demand for photographers skilled in aerial reconnaissance.

The photographs feature previously unseen images of Chapman's training and behind-the-scenes shots from her posting to the RAF Film Production Unit at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

At Pinewood she assisted in the production of military films which provided insight into the RAF's operations.

They were also used in newsreels and coverage of key events in the war, including the D-Day landings.

The training of WAAF photographers like Chapman was "vital" to the war effort, Historic England said.

HE said it was essential for the training course to keep up with rapid advancements in military air photography.

This provided intelligence that was crucial to the progress of the war.

The collection also showcases other sides of wartime life, such as the women playing sports and socialising.

While the No. 2 School of Photography closed before the end of the war, its legacy lives on through the No. 1 School, which continued to train military photographers and is now the Defence School of Photography at RAF Cosford.

Little is known about the lives of the women of the RAF Film Production Unit following the end of the war, though Chapman never lost her passion for photography, HE said.

The organisation's chief executive Duncan Wilson said: "The photographs provide rare insight into a lesser-known aspect of our wartime heritage, from the crucial role of Pinewood Studios as the centre of military filmmaking to the pioneering women of the WAAF.

"By sharing this collection, we hope to honour the contributions of these women photographers and filmmakers to the war effort, preserving their stories as an important part of our national heritage."

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