MANCHESTER.- Imperial War Museum North in Manchester presents the UK’s first major exhibition about British war correspondents, revealing the people behind the news – with many unique, historic items from household name reporters on display for the first time. The exhibition is o view from May 28 through January 2, 2012.

Being a war correspondent is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. It is also seen as one of the most exciting. This exhibition looks in-depth at some of the century’s most celebrated war correspondents, revealing dramatic true stories, the pressures they have faced and the changing nature of war reporting from 1914 to the present day.

Entry is free to this major, must-see exhibition, which displays many remarkable items for the first time. See the bullet that deflected into Kate Adie’s leg in Lebanon, a burqa worn by John Simpson to secretly enter Afghanistan in 2001, the typewriter Michael Nicholson used to write his reports from Vietnam and one of Martin Bell’s trademark white suits, which became familiar to viewers during his reports from the Bosnian War.

This exhibition and accompanying book feature giants of war reporting in recent times. Alongside Simpson, Adie, Nicholson and Bell are Rageh Omaar, Jeremy Bowen and the late Brian Hanrahan. The life and work of Second World War reporters Clare Hollingworth, Richard Dimbleby and Alan Moorehead are also explored, as well as inspirational pioneers of their trade from earlier conflicts like Philip Gibbs and Martha Gellhorn.

The dangers, difficulties and dramas of the job are told by many reporters in their own words. War reporters, past and present, have reappraised their life’s work in new interviews, specially recorded for the exhibition.

Personal possessions on display, such as uniforms, press passes, notebooks and letters, give a fascinating insight into the life of a war correspondent. Also on display for the first time is the Reuters Land Rover which was hit by a rocket in Gaza in 2006. Dramatic footage, audio recordings and photographs help bring the story of war reporting to life.

Over the last 100 years these correspondents have shaped our understanding of war and conflict. This is an opportunity to explore those pivotal ‘where were you when’ moments, such as the fall of Saigon in 1975 and the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad in 2003. See the truth about how wars are reported.

Discover how correspondents’ own lives have been shaped by war, from the dramatic to the personal. Find out more about the people whose words, images, voices and faces have brought the story from the frontline into our living rooms, often at considerable risk to themselves.

Take a closer look at how war is reported today and consider the future of war reporting. New technology has steadily changed the way we receive news – from the first television wars to more recent developments like 24 hour news and mobile technology.

The exhibition illuminates the challenges faced by journalists today, as in 1914. Reporters must still make choices about objectivity, find a way to access the battlefield and deal with censorship just as they did almost 100 years ago. See why war correspondents face greater danger now than ever before when reporting from war zones.

Jim Forrester, Imperial War Museum North Director, said: ‘The remarkable men and women featured in this exhibition have all brought momentous events and important stories into our lives and living rooms, often at considerable risk to themselves. Imperial War Museum North is proud to take an in-depth look at the personal stories behind gathering news under fire.’