Lost Films of World War Two

From Monday 12 April, retro channel History is airing a 10-part series called WWII Lost Films. It will present the story of the Second World War from the viewpoints of 12 Americans involved in the war effort, using a newly restored stash of rare and unseen colour footage.

Providing a real-life counterpoint to the fictional saga The Pacific (showing on Sky Movies Premiere), the series draws on more than 3,000 hours of film culled from private collections and archives around the globe. The footage has been restored to HD quality and refurbished with Dolby-enhanced audio, with voice-overs provided by actors including Rob Lowe and LL Cool J. The films were shot from the viewpoints of medical personnel, servicemen, and war correspondents such as Robert Sherrod, who covered the Pacific war for Time and Life magazines.

• WWII Lost Films:10pm weekdays on History, from 12 April. Find DVDs on Amazon

Watch the trailer