What did the evacuees do?
The evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to protect people, especially children, from the risks associated with aerial bombing of cities by moving them to areas thought to be less at risk. Operation Jinmo, which began on 1 September 1939, officially relocated 1.5 million people.
Did people in evacuees get paid?
After a journey which was often long and tiring, evacuees had to line up and wait for a ‘host family’ to choose them. Hosts received money for each evacuee they took in. They were paid by taking a form to the local post office.
What was an evacuees life like?
LIFE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE Evacuees and their hosts were often astonished to see how each other lived. Some evacuees flourished in their new surroundings. Others endured a miserable time away from home. Many evacuees from inner-city areas had never seen farm animals before or eaten vegetables.
Did evacuees go to school?
Schools in rural areas remained open but they often had to share their facilities with the evacuees. This involved local children using the classrooms in the morning while the evacuees would attend school in the afternoon.
What did evacuees eat?
Sometimes carrots were used instead of sugar to sweeten dishes. During the Second World War, thousands of children were evacuated, (sent away from areas likely to be bombed), to the countryside. There, they were often better fed, as fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy products were more freely available.
Where can I find information about my evacuees?
Restrict your search to relevant government departments such as Cabinet Office (CAB), Ministry of Education (ED), Ministry of Health (MH), Ministry of Information (INF), Registrar General (RG) and Home Office (HO). Local archives are the best places to find out about individuals who were evacuated.
How did the evacuees keep in touch with their parents?
Evacuees and their parents would keep in touch by writing letters to each other. Many of the children who were evacuated in 1939 returned home by 1940 because Britain wasn’t heavily bombed by the Germans in the first months of WW2. When t he Blitz began children were sent back to the countryside.
How did the evacuees get to the countryside?
The evacuees were all given a gas mask and they had food for the journey to the countryside. Every child had a label pinned to their clothing. This label stated the child’s name, home address, school and destination.
What was it like to be an evacuee in World War 2?
No one was forced to go but parents were encouraged by posters and told that their children would be safer from German bombs if they moved to the country. What was it like for a child to be evacuated? Being an evacuee must have been scary and exciting at the same time.