I’ve directed a documentary on the Children of the Blitz – and this is why I hope it brings them catharsis

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This month marks the 85th anniversary of the end of the Blitz, when Nazi Germany bombed British towns and cities for eight months. To commemorate this event, we’ve created a documentary called Children of the Blitz. It features a few remaining survivors – now in their late 80s, 90s, and even over 100 years old – who experienced the unimaginable fear and lasting trauma of the bombings as children during World War II.

Take Patsy, a 90-year-old from Belfast. During the conflict, an incendiary bomb hit her house, and she sheltered under the stairs with her mother. The house was completely destroyed, but her mother managed to pull her from the wreckage. Or consider Jean, 90, from Sheffield, who tragically lost her mother when a delayed-fuse German bomb exploded while she was hanging laundry.

Creating this documentary felt truly meaningful, as it might be the final chance to capture the stories of these remarkable survivors.

Many of us believe we know a good deal about the Blitz, the bombing raids of World War II, but our understanding is often incomplete. The idea of a strong, unwavering “Blitz Spirit” is common, and iconic images like St Paul’s Cathedral standing amidst the fires are well-known. However, the reality was more complex. People experienced a range of emotions, and while London suffered greatly, many other cities – including Hull, Coventry, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Belfast – were also devastated.

It’s a common misconception that most British children were safely moved away from harm during the war. In fact, about two-thirds of them stayed put. Sadly, this meant over 7,000 children lost their lives, and roughly the same number were injured. Many thousands more suffered lasting emotional trauma.

Growing up during the German bombing raids, known as the Blitz, deeply affected the lives of those who lived through it. For many, it robbed them of their childhoods and destroyed their homes and neighborhoods. Even now, the emotional scars remain. Patsy, from Belfast, still carries a piece of fabric to help her cope with anxiety when recalling those times, and 101-year-old Dorothea can still physically feel the fear caused by the air raid sirens. The effects of the Blitz continue to impact these individuals today, demonstrating how the past still shapes their present.

Spending time with people like Patsy and Dorothea was actually really encouraging. Before making this film, I thought those who lived through the Blitz might have trouble expressing their emotions, as if they’d been taught to keep everything bottled up. Now I realize why they felt the need to hide their fear and sadness.

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These children dealt with difficult experiences privately, not wanting to worry others. As 94-year-old Monica from Croydon explains, young people back then were expected to be very responsible. Now, as they reach the end of their lives, they are finally sharing their stories, and hopefully finding some peace and release through the process.

Talking with them made me realize how easily I take safety for granted, assuming it’s something I’m simply born with, instead of understanding it’s been earned through struggle and needs to be actively defended – something their generation understood well. Gill, who is 87, remembers the Coventry Blitz as a child, seeing the sky lit up by fires. Having lived through a world war, she now worries about her grandchildren as she watches conflicts increase globally. At the end of the conversation, she simply said, “It could happen again, so easily.”

It’s important to really listen to and consider this point. We shouldn’t overlook the devastating impact war has on children.

Children of the Blitz is at 9.00pm on Monday 11 May on BBC Two.

Authors

Jack Warrender

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2026-05-04 19:37