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The British Government after Hitler seized power in 1933 secretly began planning for an emergency evacuation of children from cities. The planning began as early as 1934 and were well thought out at an early date. Planners assumed that British cities would be targetted as they were by Zephelins in World War I. There was great fear that the Germans would use poison gas. NAZI propaganda about their new Luftwaffe only increased official and public concern. The evacuation order was almost given during the Munich crisis (1938). Thus even before war was declared on Germany on September 3, the British Government was ready with a plan to safeguard the civilain population, especially children, from aerial bombardment. The Government on August 31, 1939 ordered the evacuations to begin. Much of it was coordinated through the schools. Within a few days, massess of Britains, mostly children had been evacuated from the cities. Eventually 3 million British children would be evolved in the evacuation. It was the most extensive movement of people in British history.
Hitler seized power in Germany (January 1933). As a result of his belicose statements, the British Government secretly began planning for an emergency evacuation of children from cities. Preliminary planning began as early as 1934 and were well thought out at an early date. Planners assumed that British cities would be targetted as they were by Zephelins in World War I. There was great fear that the Germans would use poison gas. NAZI propaganda about their new Luftwaffe only increased official and public concern.
The Goverment was poised to give the evacuation order during the Munich crisis (1938). After Chamberlain caved into Hitler's threats, he flew back to Britain declaring that he had achieved "peace in our times". The evacuation was called off. Officials used the time, however, to prepare a much more detailed evacuation plan.
The British plan was for a voluntary evacuation of children. It was up to the parents to decide if they wanted thir children evacuated. The evacuation included mothers with children under 5 years old, pregnant women, and some disabled individuals. Eventually the eldely were also added to the evacuation. The Government plan on moving about 3 million people from Britain's Major cities. The plan entaied moving the children from the cities and big towns by train and road. Most were moved by train, but busses also involved in the plan. The children were to be moved to smaller towns and country villages. The national plan was vryeffectivelly planned to evacuate the children from the ciies. Accomodations were up to the local communities where the children were sent. Here the planning was much less effective.
Thus even before war was declared on Germany on September 3, the British Government was ready with a plan to safeguard the civilain population, especially children, from aerial bombardment. The evacuation began a few days before Britain actually decred War. We have seen sources reporting that the Government on August 31, 1939 ordered the evacuations to begin.
The aslert was broadcast on radio--"Pied Piper Tomorrow" (Sugust 39). I am not sure if the public knew what this meant. But the scghools did and the teachers informed the children. One girl recalls what her teacher vtold the class, "Children, we shall be leacing tomorrowat 6 o'clock in the morning, Be sure to be here in tgime. We shall have a sort of an outing. We hope it won't be for long. Now go gome, see you tommorow, don;'t forget anything of your outfit, remember your plsce in the procession, eight children nd their leader belong together, look at your leader to be sure you know your place tomorrow. Now, home time for all, see you all tomorrow." [Grunfeld-Rosenbaum, p. 21.] The photograph here suggests that the decession was taken even earlier. We are a little confused just when the Goverenment announced the order. Apparently it was staggered in different parts of the country. We need to find more information on this. We do know that much od the evacuation was coordinated through the schools because school children were the major group involved in the evacuation. A reader writes, "It amazed me to discover that evacuation instructions were in place even before the official outbreak of World War II. They must have been expecting the worst! It is difficult for my generation to imagine how much trepidation the children must have felt on reading the notices and wondering what would happen to them. I presume the school yard was used as a venue because it was central to the community, even in a city as big as Manchester." Within a few days, massess of Britains, mostly children had been evacuated from the cities. Eventually 3 million British children would be evolved in the evacuation. It was the most extensive movement of people in British history.
It should not be thought that the Government ordered parents to evacuate the children. The Government strongly advised parents to evacuate London and other target cities. There was an advertising campaign to convince parents of the need to participate in the program. But it did not order parents to participate. This meant families had to make heart wrenching decessions. Many of the children were very young and had never been away from home before. Some were too young to understand. Others were old enough to understand and wanted no part of it. Some saw it as a grea adventure. Parents were understandably reluctant to part with their children. Many refused to do so. Some only sent some of the children, often keeping thge very youngest or the oldest. Here choices varied from country to country. Even during the worst of the Blitz in London during 1940 there were still masny children their as can be seen in the photographs of the bomb shelters and shtreet photgraphs. I am not sure just what percentage of the children were actually evacuated.
England was not prepared for war, but the idea of aerial bombardment had so terrorized the public, that plans were ready to protect children. The Government
planned to evaccuate 3 million, but only 1.5 million were evavuated. It was up to the parents and parents decided to keep about half of the children. In the end about
1.5 million were evacuated. The children living in London and other major cities were immediately tagged liked parcels and shipped out by special evacuation trains.
The evacuations were mostly conducted through the schools. Despite the imense number of children involved, the actual evacuation went fairly smoothly despite the
caos in the stations as tearful mums waived good-bye to their nippers. The children sang songs like "The Lambert Walk" and "Wish Me Luck as You Wave
Goodbye". There was also a song about the "Bogy Man" that the children liked. Other children said good-bye to their mums at their schools. Often schools marched
en masse to the stations with their teachers. Caos ensued as train loads of children began arriving in the country side. Host families had signed up to care for the
children, but there was enough. The Government had organized the evacuation, but it was left up to each local community to process the children. At many locations
trains arrived with new loads of children even before the first group had been processed.
Although the Germans knew precisely when they would launch the War. No plans were made in Germany to protect cities and civilians. Hitler was not even sure that Britain and France would honor their treaty obligations to Poland. In addition, NAZI officials wre confident that the Luftwaffe could protect German cities.
Grunfeld-Rosenbaum, Judith. Shefford: A Story of a Jewish School Community in Evacuation, 1939-45 (Nanuet, New York: Soncino Press, 1980).
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