Figure 1.--This is another photograph from the 'Picture Post' ( a British Weekly Publication) during the War, It was the comparable British publivationto the American 'Life' magazine. Boys as well as girls knitted. A Nritish evacuee writes, "I remember knitting squares in Grade 6 in America to make blankets. It was a class project and during one term we had over 200 suares." The room where the boys are knitting would be the kitchen. The cooking would be done in the Scullery. The stove is very typical of the time. It was coal burning. The doors could be closed to damp the fire to a smouldering state. It looks very like our Ideal Boiler. You could boil a kettle on the top, and some had a water jacket and heated the hot water.

British children contrubuted to the war effort in a number of ways. Probably the most important was helping out around the home. With dad away at the front, everything fell on mother's shoulders. And in many cases mum either worked in war industries or did a wide range of volunteer work. Thus children commonly pitched into do chores around the home including cooking, house keeping, and laundry which they would probably not have done before the War. Many children knitted at home as they did in World War I. Knitting was something that all school-age children could do and there was a feeling of accomplishment. Often the knitting was for their father's and older brothers. This time, the Army for 2 years was in the Western Desert rather than France. Children outside of the big cities might have worked in gardens. There were also efforts to help with the harvests. Older boys in London and the other cities might serve as special messengers. This was common during the Blitz. Schools had a variety of activities. Youth groups such as the Scouts and Guides had special programs. Young women served in the Women's Land Army or military auxilieries. Princerss Elizibeth volunteered as an ambulance driver.

Help at Home

British children contrubuted to the war effort in a number of ways. Probably the most important was helping out around the home. With dad away at the front, everything fell on mother's shoulders. And in many cases mum either worked in war industries or did a wide range of volunteer work. Thus children commonly pitched into do chores around the home including cooking, house keeping, and laundry which they would probably not have done before the War.

Knitting

Many children knitted at home as they did in World War I. Knitting was something that all school-age children could do and there was a feeling of accomplishment. Often the knitting was for their father's and older brothers. This time, the Army for 2 years was in the Western Desert rather than France.

Gardens

Children outside of the big cities might have worked in gardens.

Farm Labor

There were also efforts to help with the harvests. Food was a major issue for Britain duting the War. The country was not self sufficentin food and would have trbed had the U-boats prevailded in the Atlantic. Food shipmnts from America and Canada werre vital. But Britain needed to make the most of its agricultural potential. And with so much of Britain's farm labor in the service, bringing in the harvet was a major issue. Camps were set up for school groups to help bring in the harvest. Most of the child harvesters slept in bell tents made for eight. Some camps were located in schools as there were quite a number of small private schools, often prep schools in rural areas. The participation of scondary age students, boys and girls, was especially important. Many schools participated in this effort. What is impressive about British kids reflecting the general attitude of the population was their willingness to 'pith in' voluntarily and positive attitude about the effort. It was seen at the time and after as ‘doing ones bit’ on the land. One author who has collected informaion on the students and andparticipated in broadcasts their effort writes, "Although a small minority of respondents hated the whole business, for the overwhelming majority the experience of working on the land and, more especially of attending harvest camps, was a very positive one. People referred to the pleasures of tent life, camp food, fireside sing-songs, the camaraderie with the older farm workers and, in particular, the fact that campers ‘... found a new freedom and gained a sense of independence denied to many at the time’. The work may from time-to-time have been tough, yet ‘... during wartime we accepted minor hard-ships in the furtherance of the cause and we knew others were suffering much more’. Indeed, having suggested on the broadcast that attendance at the camps may have been in response to parental ‘push’, I was roundly reprimanded by one respondent, formerly a pupil at Surbiton Grammar School, who told me in no uncertain terms that ‘patriotic duty’ had been the sole motivating factor. Yet enjoyment was a key feature. One respondent, whose school sustained a direct hit by a V2 rocket while the pupils were at harvest camp, writes of ‘the great and joyous experience’ of working the land, while another, evacuated with his school to Tunbridge Wells, mentions the ‘educational’ importance of meeting country characters, also emphasising sheer revelation of the beauty of the English countryside to urban children who had previously had no chance to enjoy it." [Moore-Coyler, pp. 331-32.] They did all kinds of work, including digging up potatoes (‘spud-grubbing’) , pulling flax, and picking beans, fruit, hops, peas and berries like stawberries and raspberries. There were often gender differences in the tasks involved. Girls commonly did the peapicking, and hated it. Sometines younger hildren were used to pick berries. The children were paid for their labor. For many it was the most spendung money they ever had. Conditions were basic, The children took turns with camp duies like cooking, keeping the camp clean and maintining the latrines, rather basic trenches. There was a 'Potato holiday' in Angus, a potato growing area of Scotland, during October. There were all kinds of memories that remain firmly imprinted after the War. One girl long wih psitive views, recalls "..cold and filthy hands, earth-clogged wellies and sodden caps and pixie-hoods." There were events at the end of camp. One author reports, "Towards the end of each camp, reviews, sing-songs and drama presentations were held, Peter Collinson fondly recalling that his rendition of ‘Ragtime Cowboy Joe’ was particularly well-received." [Moore-Coyler, pp. 333.]

Messengers

Older boys in London and the other cities might serve as special messengers. This was common during the Blitz.

Schools

Schools had a variety of activities.

Youth Grous

Youth groups such as the Scouts and Guides had special programs.

Special Youth Support

Young women served in the Women's Land Army or military auxilieries. Princerss Elizibeth volunteered as an ambulance driver.

Cadets: Home Guard Boys

Boys all over Britain began seeing saw the Home Guard drilling in open areas, often with their older brothers, fathers, uncles, and perhaps even grandfathers. And as boys are want to do, they began drilling themselves in imitation. Playing war became a major activity for British boys. And the War was no longer a far off activity. Many boys could watch in unfold in the skies over southern England. This was mostly play at war, but we see some more organized groups in uniforms. We do not yet know much about them. As far as we know there was no junior Home Guard officially organized. This may have been, however, junior auxiliaries formed on a local basis by Regular Army regiments. At least we see some obviously organized groups like the boys here (figure 1). Regular army units would have had access to uniforms and equipment. Britain also had a well organized cadet corps, but it was not associated with the Home Guard. This was an officer training program organized through the secondary schools and universities. The local units formed by regiments may have used the term cadets, but were not part of the established cadet organization. The boys here are called a cadet battalion (figure 1). As far as we know, there was no organized national cadet battalion program and they were not part of the established school cadet program. We do not know how many cadet battalions like this were formed. Perhaps readers will know more. Many boys participated in the school cadet program during the War, the older boys actually entered the services.

Sources

Moore-Coyler, Richard. "Children's labour in the countryside during World War II: A further note," Agricultural History Review Vol. II (1952), pp. 331-34.

Created: 6:35 AM 7/27/2010
Last updated: 9:19 AM 10/23/2017