The British landscape during World War 2

10th December 2015

"Read the short extract from "Landscape for Everyone". Summarise the key points in your learning log, along with any other observations or reflections." OCA course material

Source 
"Landscape for Everyone" John Taylor (1994) A dream of England: Landscape Photography and the Tourist's Imagination  OCA learning materials

Taylor introduces his essay with a short page on the history of England over the last 1000 years, explaining that to the British, history had contributed to the English landscape as we know it pre World War 2 (WW2). It was important for the British to preserve it throughout the war with patriotism because of its uniqueness.

This meant when WW2 was declared, the British were challenged with hiding England behind tins of paint, blocking out place names and removing signposts so that it was unrecognisable. The English were prevented from using the landscape for recreational purposes. Travel and tourism was stopped and only the troops or evacuees travelled to or through the countryside.

Batsford (a publishing firm), reissued a set of books with picturesque photographs of English places from the 1930's as a reminder to people of what Britain looked like. However, the poet Edmund Blunden supposed that no-one could agree on the "typical English scene" (1994 p199) and suggested that "England's strength was unity in difference". (1994 p200).

A new approach to recording and portraying landscape was required so that the English became acquainted with their unfamiliar countryside. Documentary photography confirmed that people were expected to preserve the English historical landscape and work together in doing so for the promise of victory."The tension between them [the familiar and unfamiliar] was an effect of war."(1994 p200). By linking to the past, depicting the romanticism of the landscape and social reform issues, the English engaged with the way in which the country was being represented pictorially. Picture Editors accepted photographs of working class evacuees in their new picturesque countryside because it linked all three issues together and sold magazines.

Taylor mentions the Ramblers trespass onto Kinder Scout in 1932 which led to increased rights of access in the countryside. At the time landowners, ramblers and conservationists were in conflict over access and rights and the Ministry of Information and press used this to develop the idea that England's landscape belonged to everyone and it was worth defending. Although did the advent of war accelerate the change and would this eventually have happened through the Rambler's association?

Picture Post (a photographic magazine) used a comparison layout (diptych) to highlight the difference between English and German landscape and way of life: for example pastoral scenes, freedom, uniform, discipline; the idea being to show readers the truth and remind the English of what was precious to them.

Unity of social classes was important and with it the portrayal of an England whose image showed through as an island nation with a history of defending our shores and the strong British character. The familiar seaside resorts were closed to holiday makers and instead the landscape was covered with barbed wire, breached only by aircraft. The Cliffs of Dover became an important landmark as the "gateway" to England in a fight to maintain Britain's independence.

Press captured images of people looking up as important in the search for the enemy. Taylor cites that the "line of sight, which is the civilian equivalent of military targeting in which eyeshot precedes gunshot, was already a popular viewpoint  in the weekly magazines (Virilio 1989 p3)" (1994 p205). This could be seen as virtual killing by the English although Taylor proposes that the stance demonstrated the English were vigilant like the home guard and it created an optimistic future for them.

References
"Landscape for Everyone" John Taylor (1994) A dream of England: Landscape Photography and the Tourist's Imagination  OCA learning materials p199
"Landscape for Everyone" John Taylor (1994) A dream of England: Landscape Photography and the Tourist's Imagination  OCA learning materials p200
"Landscape for Everyone" John Taylor (1994) A dream of England: Landscape Photography and the Tourist's Imagination  OCA learning materials p200
"Landscape for Everyone" John Taylor (1994) A dream of England: Landscape Photography and the Tourist's Imagination  OCA learning materialsp205