Gillian Mawson shares the stories of the children evacuated during the Second World War
On 1 September 1939 the British government’s plans for evacuation swung into operation. About 1.5 million children aged 4–14 were moved from towns and cities that were thought to be at risk of bombing, before war was declared on 3 September. In addition, thousands of pregnant women, mothers with infants and teachers travelled with the children. Most evacuees were taken to billets in the British countryside, or on the south and east coasts. Although most evacuees were transported by train, thousands travelled by boat. Children from Portsmouth were taken to the Isle of Wight, while hundreds of Dagenham evacuees boarded paddle steamers that were bound for Yarmouth.
Prior to 1 September, each evacuee was given an Evacuation Notice that explained what they should take (see the image on page 57). The first items listed were a gas mask, identity card and ration book. Each child was told to carry enough food to last one day – egg or cheese sandwiches; packets of nuts or raisins; biscuits with little packets of cheese; barley sugar rather than chocolate; and an apple or an orange. Clothing requirements included a spare set of underwear; night clothes; handkerchiefs; spare stockings or socks; house shoes or plimsolls; and a warm coat or mackintosh.
‘Never Even Seen An Orange’
This proved problematic for many of the children, as one former evacuee Joan Watson remembered. “When my mum saw the evacuation list, she realised that I didn’t own a spare pair of shoes, a spare set of underclothes or a warm coat! I know that she was embarrassed about this, but what could she do? Most of my school friends didn’t own such things either.” Jean Barrington recalled, “The list seemed very funny to me as we were very poor. For a start, I had never even seen an orange! Also the list said that we should use a rucksack for the journey. We couldn’t afford one, so Mum put my few belongings in a spare pillowcase.”
When the evacuees arrived in the evacuee reception areas, volunteers were waiting there to greet them. The children, teachers and mothers were given hot tea and sandwiches, then local families arrived and the ‘selection process’ began. Harry Flack revealed, “We were all lined up and chosen by the people who were going to take us into their homes. The girls went first, followed by the larger boys who, dare I say, co
