The documentary-maker John Pett, who has died aged 94, contributed three powerful episodes to ITV’s epic series The World at War. His style fitted perfectly with the aim of giving viewers an insight into how conflict felt for those immersed in it.
The massive project, three years in the making and screened in 26 episodes over 1973 and 1974, was the brainchild of Jeremy Isaacs, the series’ overall producer at Thames Television. He was intent on combining newsreel images of the second world war with eyewitness testimony from all sides. Alongside its thematic structure and authoritative accounts from the different theatres of war, Laurence Olivier’s narration gave the programmes further gravitas, and Carl Davis’s dark but majestic title music conveyed the looming horrors to come.
