v/a – HOME FRONT, THE (1939-1945) Supply

v/a – HOME FRONT, THE (1939-1945)
An evocative double-disc set (and digital download), The Home Front features 150 minutes of archive audio material recorded between 1939 and 1945. The 45 tracks cover all aspects of life on the Home Front in Britain during the Second World War, from Neville Chamberlain’s historic announcement of ‘war with Germany’ on Sunday 3 September 1939, to evacuation, anti-invasion measures, the Home Guard, the Blitz, food rationing, salvage, war work, agriculture, fuel saving, mass observation, rumours, the V-1 and V-2 menace, and finally VE Day on 8 May 1945.

All the recordings featured are first-hand accounts made at the time. They include civilians, evacuees, ARP and civil defence personnel, military leaders, RAF pilots, anti-aircraft gunners and politicians, as well as actuality recordings made during raids and inside shelters. All materials are authentic wartime recordings which have been carefully digitally remastered. The CD booklet includes archive images and detailed historical notes by James Hayward.

Reviews: “This CD and download gives all the important broadcasts from WWII. There is Chamberlain’s announcement that England is at war, various Workers’ Playtime broadcasts, Churchill’s “We’ll fight on the beaches” broadcast and many, many more. Five stars” (Amazon.com, 01/2010)