Back in the day
A wander through the AP archive. This week we pay a visit to January 1943
THIS week we peddle back to 1943, with AP keeping calm and carrying on despite the privations of the Second World War. The threat of German invasion may have somewhat receded, with Hitler’s armies getting a bloody nose on the Eastern Front, but it was hardly a relaxing time in Britain, and it’s amazing that people found the time, energy and resources to do any personal photography at all. As well as the rather stern advert on the cover, editor F J Mortimer’s editorial is both interesting and poignant, as he pays tribute to the bravery of photographers covering the Blitz. Little did FJ know that he was to be killed by a German bombing raid on the way to the AP offices in 1944... On a brighter note, there are some engaging features inside this issue, including a guide to preparing pictures for exhibitions; it goes under the splendid subheading, ‘Methods and Ideals of Well-known Pictorial Workers’. More pottering around the AP archive next week.