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Air raid on Oxford Street
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Air raid on Oxford Street
The front cover of The Bystander features a shop assistant rescuing two mannequins after an Oxford Street department store is hit by a Luftwaffe bombing raid. In the background a second shop assistant appears amused at the plight of the two dummies.
1940
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Media ID 14403440
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Airraid Assistant Assistants Blitz Bomb Bombardment Bombed Bombing Bombs Department Luftwaffe Mannequin Mannequins Oxford Raid Sep16 Store
EDITORS COMMENTS
September 16, 1940: Amid the Chaos of the Blitz, a Moment of Comedy on Oxford Street Amid the devastating air raids that ravaged London during World War II, the Luftwaffe's relentless bombing campaign, known as the Blitz, brought destruction and chaos to the city's streets. This evocative photograph, taken by an unnamed photographer for The Bystander magazine, captures a poignant moment of respite amid the carnage on Oxford Street. In the foreground, a determined shop assistant is seen carefully extracting two mannequins from the wreckage of a bombed-out department store. The mannequins, their faces frozen in expressions of surprise or shock, are carefully cradled in the assistant's arms, as if to protect them from further harm. The assistant's focused expression and the gravity of the situation are in stark contrast to the scene unfolding behind them. A second shop assistant, her expression unreadable, watches the scene unfold with a bemused expression. Her amused gaze is fixed on the two mannequins, adding an unexpected note of levity to the scene. The incongruity of the situation - the seriousness of the bombing raid and the seemingly trivial concern for mannequins - serves as a poignant reminder of the human capacity to find humor and resilience even in the most trying of circumstances. The photograph, published on the front cover of The Bystander on September 16, 1940, offers a glimpse into the surreal and often absurd reality of life during the Blitz. It is a poignant reminder of the indomitable spirit of the Londoners, who, despite the constant threat of air raids, continued to carry on with their daily lives, finding moments of levity amid the chaos.
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