Brushstrokes from the Blitz: Artist whose haunting watercolours emerge 78 years later

From desperate heartbreak to the famous Blitz spirit, a raft of emotions were experienced by Londoners as Hitler rained down bombs upon the city during the Second World War. 

These highs and lows were captured in extraordinary detail by artist Ivor Beddoes, whose watercolours portray the long nights holed up in the air raid shelters and the devastation they awoke to the next morning.

Beddoes’ drawings shows bodies strewn on the blood soaked ground as the Luftwaffe did their worst. Others reveal frantic searches for survivors in the rubble of decimated buildings. 

The actor-turned-artist, who carried stretchers during the raids, provides an insight into the volunteers’ perilous existence as one drawing shows a tutorial on diffusing bombs. 

The drawings have emerged for sale with auction house Dominic Winter, of Cirencester, Gloucestershire and are expected to fetch £5,000.

Beddoes submitted his drawings to the Artist’s Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Information so they could be used as ‘documentary evidence’ of the Blitz.

He wrote to them: ‘I submit the accompanying sketches in the hope that they might be of use as documentary evidence or, in any other way that you might think useful.

‘I happened to be watching the raid last Saturday afternoon from the roof of a building in Piccadilly Circus.

‘I was able to make a quick sketch of the effects of fires caused by the bombs dropped on South London, and again, later in the evening I made two sketches with colour notes of the fire, and added the colour afterwards.’

The ‘Heavy Rescue boys’ work there way through a bombed out house floor by floor. Many of the firemen and and air raid precautions service officers were civilians who had not been called up to fight on the front lines. By July 1939, a staggering 138,000 citizens had joined civil groups to help keep London safe

An 'incendiary bomb' lecture where workers were taught how to diffuse unexploded bombs. During the Second World War, the German Luftwaffe obliterated much of London with the powerful SC1000 demolition bomb. Weighing more than 1,000kg, it was nicknames Hermann after Hitler's second in command, Hermann Goering

An ‘incendiary bomb’ lecture where workers were taught how to diffuse unexploded bombs. During the Second World War, the German Luftwaffe obliterated much of London with the powerful SC1000 demolition bomb. Weighing more than 1,000kg, it was nicknames Hermann after Hitler’s second in command, Hermann Goering

The stretcher bearers and heavy rescue men play snooker at the depot on Lymington Road, West Hamstead. Beddoes wrote: 'Up most nights on bomb incidents, to relax the boys slept, had meals, read and filled in the time. Sometimes it was all action if the bombs were in your area - or you could have a few days 'peace'

The stretcher bearers and heavy rescue men play snooker at the depot on Lymington Road, West Hamstead. Beddoes wrote: ‘Up most nights on bomb incidents, to relax the boys slept, had meals, read and filled in the time. Sometimes it was all action if the bombs were in your area – or you could have a few days ‘peace’

October 1940: From desperate heartbreak to the famous Blitz spirit, a raft of emotions were experienced by Londoners as Hitler rained down bombs upon the city during the Second World War. These highs and lows were captured in extraordinary detail by artist Ivor Beddoes, whose watercolours portray the long nights holed up in the air raid shelters and the devastation they awoke to the next morning. Beddoes drawings shows bodies strewn on the blood soaked ground as the Luftwaffe did their worst (pictured)

October 1940: From desperate heartbreak to the famous Blitz spirit, a raft of emotions were experienced by Londoners as Hitler rained down bombs upon the city during the Second World War. These highs and lows were captured in extraordinary detail by artist Ivor Beddoes, whose watercolours portray the long nights holed up in the air raid shelters and the devastation they awoke to the next morning. Beddoes drawings shows bodies strewn on the blood soaked ground as the Luftwaffe did their worst (pictured)

September 1940: Ivor Beddoes sketches the fires over south London caused by the bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War. During the Blitz, the capital suffered fires over a larger area than the Great Fire of London in 1666, leading it to be dubbed The Second Great Fire Of London. Some 160 people were killed by fires from 29-30 December 1940

September 1940: Ivor Beddoes sketches the fires over south London caused by the bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War. During the Blitz, the capital suffered fires over a larger area than the Great Fire of London in 1666, leading it to be dubbed The Second Great Fire Of London. Some 160 people were killed by fires from 29-30 December 1940

ARP shelters being built in Finchley in the early weeks of the war. Beddoes drawings shows bodies strewn on the blood soaked ground as the Luftwaffe did their worst. Others reveal frantic searches for survivors in the rubble of decimated buildings and the rebuilding of shelters

ARP shelters being built in Finchley in the early weeks of the war. Beddoes drawings shows bodies strewn on the blood soaked ground as the Luftwaffe did their worst. Others reveal frantic searches for survivors in the rubble of decimated buildings and the rebuilding of shelters

A sketch from October 1940 showing the stretcher party collecting bodies in Hampstead. Stretcher bearers were a vital part of the civilian effort in the Second World War, along with the Home Guard, air raid wardens, firemen and nurses

A sketch from October 1940 showing the stretcher party collecting bodies in Hampstead. Stretcher bearers were a vital part of the civilian effort in the Second World War, along with the Home Guard, air raid wardens, firemen and nurses 

October 1940: 'Tube station at midnight during the Blitz'. Chris Albury, specialist at Dominic Winter, said: 'There is a fantastic vitality to these watercolours, the sketches largely taken on the spot with some colouring added later. We have become so used to photography as the dominant medium of how we see so much of 20th century history and it is startling to see such vivid depictions of these terrible events drawn in real time as the events of the London Blitz unfolded. These drawings were made entirely unprompted as documentary work which Beddoes submitted to the War Artists' Advisory Committee'

October 1940: ‘Tube station at midnight during the Blitz’. Chris Albury, specialist at Dominic Winter, said: ‘There is a fantastic vitality to these watercolours, the sketches largely taken on the spot with some colouring added later. We have become so used to photography as the dominant medium of how we see so much of 20th century history and it is startling to see such vivid depictions of these terrible events drawn in real time as the events of the London Blitz unfolded. These drawings were made entirely unprompted as documentary work which Beddoes submitted to the War Artists’ Advisory Committee’

Beddoes' drawing of workers filling sandbags which were used to build shelters. Sandbags were used for fortification as they are inexpensive to make while providing sturdy protection

Beddoes’ drawing of workers filling sandbags which were used to build shelters. Sandbags were used for fortification as they are inexpensive to make while providing sturdy protection 

November 1940: A harrowing image showing three men putting out the bomb with buckets of sand. The picture describes how the light was blinding while the bomb shot out fragments

November 1940: A harrowing image showing three men putting out the bomb with buckets of sand. The picture describes how the light was blinding while the bomb shot out fragments 

Five men help to take a body over a garden wall in Fordwich Road, London, during the horrors of the Blitz. Beddoes submitted his drawings to the Artist’s Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Information so they could be used as ‘documentary evidence’ of the Blitz. The picture was completed in November 1940

Five men help to take a body over a garden wall in Fordwich Road, London, during the horrors of the Blitz. Beddoes submitted his drawings to the Artist’s Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Information so they could be used as ‘documentary evidence’ of the Blitz. The picture was completed in November 1940 

The sandbags piled up on Prestatyn dunes, Wales. Chris Albury, specialist at Dominic Winter said: 'We have become so used to photography as the dominant medium of how we see so much of 20th century history and it is startling to see such vivid depictions of these terrible events drawn in real time as the events of the London Blitz unfolded'

The sandbags piled up on Prestatyn dunes, Wales. Chris Albury, specialist at Dominic Winter said: ‘We have become so used to photography as the dominant medium of how we see so much of 20th century history and it is startling to see such vivid depictions of these terrible events drawn in real time as the events of the London Blitz unfolded’ 

A second image of the sandbagged AC observation post on Prestatyn dunes, Wales. The pictures have been consigned for auction from the collection of the late military historian Bob Wyatt, who died earlier this year

A second image of the sandbagged AC observation post on Prestatyn dunes, Wales. The pictures have been consigned for auction from the collection of the late military historian Bob Wyatt, who died earlier this year

The heavy rescue boys hacked their way down floor by floor looking for bodies after a large bomb hit a house causing the walls to burst out on each floor. Known as the 'stretcher bearers' they stood by to remove the bodies found in the wreckage

The heavy rescue boys hacked their way down floor by floor looking for bodies after a large bomb hit a house causing the walls to burst out on each floor. Known as the ‘stretcher bearers’ they stood by to remove the bodies found in the wreckage 

Women are pictured filling up sandbags and building shelters to help with the destruction caused by the Blitz. This drawing depicts the famous ‘Blitz Spirit’ shown by Londoners as they rally together to build air raid shelters

Women are pictured filling up sandbags and building shelters to help with the destruction caused by the Blitz. This drawing depicts the famous ‘Blitz Spirit’ shown by Londoners as they rally together to build air raid shelters 

A pile up debris is left in the aftermath of bombed houses following the Blitz. Beddoes made on the spot sketches of his experiences and then added watercolours later

A pile up debris is left in the aftermath of bombed houses following the Blitz. Beddoes made on the spot sketches of his experiences and then added watercolours later 

'Rescue party calling out for the living': A frantic search unfolds for survivors in the rubble of decimated buildings in November 1940

‘Rescue party calling out for the living’: A frantic search unfolds for survivors in the rubble of decimated buildings in November 1940

A composite picture created from rough notes when no one was looking in the hospital in Havistock Hill, Hampstead, London. A God-like figure is depicted in white as a body is uncovered among the wreckage

A composite picture created from rough notes when no one was looking in the hospital in Havistock Hill, Hampstead, London. A God-like figure is depicted in white as a body is uncovered among the wreckage 

Women serve tea near Swiss Cottage station in London, November 1940, as workers take a break from the horrors of the Blitz

Women serve tea near Swiss Cottage station in London, November 1940, as workers take a break from the horrors of the Blitz 

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