When the Olympics returned to London in 1948 for the first Games since Berlin, the opening ceremony was in marked contrast to 40 years earlier.

In line with all the new bits added to the opening ceremony since 1908, the Olympic flame was shipped across the English Channel as part of the relay.

The Olympic flag was hoisted up a 35-foot pole, 2,500 pigeons were released and there was a 21-gun salute before track athlete John Mark lit the flame.

The official Olympic report stated that the ceremony gave birth to a spirit that would permeate the rest of the Games.