This film is part of Free

Baer: VE Day

At Littleover in Derby the end of war in Europe is marked by Britannia leading a fancy dress parade. And, after nearly six years of war, it's finally time for a street party!

Home movie 1945 19 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for Media Archive for Central England

Overview

Swiss born film-maker William Baer captured these scenes in Derby on VE Day in 1945. Film was hard to come by and, although not pin sharp, it's a valuable record of events on that day: from a lively women's football match on the playing fields of Littleover County Primary School to a street party tea for local children on Gayton Avenue. It continues with images from a holiday in Devon - a return to some kind of normality?