800,000 people were evacuated during the war, not just school children, but also pregnant women, young mothers with babies and disabled adults. City people were sent to the countryside-an area safer than the main bomb targets. A few returned after a couple of weeks but many stayed in the countryside with their host families for the rest of the war. Apart from Devon, children were sent to Cornwall and Wales. Other children moved to villages in Scotland. Even a small amount (approximately 10,000) moved to Australia and the United States.
The British evacuation began on Friday 1 September 1939. It was called 'Operation Pied Piper'. Between 1939 - 1945 there were three major evacuations in preparation of the German Luftwaffe bombing Britain. The first day of the evacuation was portrayed in the national press as a great success and an example of the people's optimism, strength and commitment to the war effort. But many people remember only chaos and confusion, and parents were heartbroken to see their families divided. And the process wasn't always the answer to securing children's safety. In an account of the evacuation from Norfolk, it was recorded that: The children sailed from Scotland and, after a week, parents were awakened early one morning by the telephone to say that the ship had been torpedoed, but that some lucky children had been taken by a tanker to Glasgow.
Moving to the countryside presented a lot of new opportunities with it. Commencing with a walk to school, buses would be waiting for them to take children to the station, there children would be categorised and organised for the impending train ride. Every evacuee had a gas mask, food for the journey (such as sandwiches, apples, chocolate) and a small bag for washing things and clothes. Pinned to the children's coats were labels. On the label were each child's name, home address, school and where he or she was going. Often the journey took several hours and the process of saying goodbye to each parent was saddening for everyone-evacuation may have secured the safety of thousands but it was a daunting situation.
Their new homes were called 'billets'. 'Billeting officers' arranged for people to look after the children. Things did not always go to plan. Some children ended up in the wrong places. Sometimes evacuees just stood in a line, and local people picked which children to take. However, despite the new lifestyle and opportunity to escape the turmoil of the war, lots of children ended up in awful places and are treated cruelly. There were forced into labour and not given the same privileges as many others. Although there were accounts that children were treated well and found that country life was full of surprises. Some city children had never seen a cow, and were startled to see where milk came from. Seeing carrots growing in muddy fields, one child said in disgust 'ours come in tins'. Locals and evacuees went to school and played together. Most became friends, though local children sometimes said it was unfair when the 'townies' were given sweets and parties.
World War Two ended in September 1945, however evacuation did not officially end until March 1946 when it was felt that Britain was no longer under threat from invasion. Surprisingly, even 6 months after the war had ended, there were still 5,200 evacuees living in rural areas with their host families. The return home was equally emotional as the journey out.
The British evacuation began on Friday 1 September 1939. It was called 'Operation Pied Piper'. Between 1939 - 1945 there were three major evacuations in preparation of the German Luftwaffe bombing Britain. The first day of the evacuation was portrayed in the national press as a great success and an example of the people's optimism, strength and commitment to the war effort. But many people remember only chaos and confusion, and parents were heartbroken to see their families divided. And the process wasn't always the answer to securing children's safety. In an account of the evacuation from Norfolk, it was recorded that: The children sailed from Scotland and, after a week, parents were awakened early one morning by the telephone to say that the ship had been torpedoed, but that some lucky children had been taken by a tanker to Glasgow.
Moving to the countryside presented a lot of new opportunities with it. Commencing with a walk to school, buses would be waiting for them to take children to the station, there children would be categorised and organised for the impending train ride. Every evacuee had a gas mask, food for the journey (such as sandwiches, apples, chocolate) and a small bag for washing things and clothes. Pinned to the children's coats were labels. On the label were each child's name, home address, school and where he or she was going. Often the journey took several hours and the process of saying goodbye to each parent was saddening for everyone-evacuation may have secured the safety of thousands but it was a daunting situation.
Their new homes were called 'billets'. 'Billeting officers' arranged for people to look after the children. Things did not always go to plan. Some children ended up in the wrong places. Sometimes evacuees just stood in a line, and local people picked which children to take. However, despite the new lifestyle and opportunity to escape the turmoil of the war, lots of children ended up in awful places and are treated cruelly. There were forced into labour and not given the same privileges as many others. Although there were accounts that children were treated well and found that country life was full of surprises. Some city children had never seen a cow, and were startled to see where milk came from. Seeing carrots growing in muddy fields, one child said in disgust 'ours come in tins'. Locals and evacuees went to school and played together. Most became friends, though local children sometimes said it was unfair when the 'townies' were given sweets and parties.
World War Two ended in September 1945, however evacuation did not officially end until March 1946 when it was felt that Britain was no longer under threat from invasion. Surprisingly, even 6 months after the war had ended, there were still 5,200 evacuees living in rural areas with their host families. The return home was equally emotional as the journey out.