How Things Changed In World War Two

Click here to edit subtitle

Evacuation in Britain 

Two days before the war nearly half a million children and mothers were sent to the countryside. That evacuation was one of the biggest in war.


By the first Christmas in war in 1939, many evacuees had come home as unexpectedly there had been no bombing. That unfortunately didn't last long as on September 3rd 1940 - May 21st 1941 the Blitz happened. The Blitz was series of air raid destroying much of London. These air raid caused many to evacuate 

Where to go and what to take?

in places like London or Glasgow where being bombed was more likely of happening, were called evacuation areas and the countryside was called the reception zone.  


Cars in World War Two were rare as petrol was rationed so people got to evacuation zone by coach or train. If lucky you could go to a friend or family member but for most evacuated they went to farms or country side. One of the reasons  that farmers took in evacuees was because the evacuees had to work for the farmer and help with the running and production of the farms. Some  didn't go to farms though some  got sent to towns in country side to live with families. When you got evacuated it was your parents job to supply you with  an over coat, a spare pair of underwear, spare socks, slippers, toothbrush and a towel. Most also took something to remind them of home, or for younger children a stuffed animal.

Arrival

When you arrived you would either  be taken to a school hall or church hall to be taken to your temporary home or you would go straight to your house. If nobody had come to get you or nobody wanted you ,the billeting officer (the one who collected evacuees and arrange where the evacuees stay) would force people to take you in. Although some wouldn't want to take in evacuees, a plus for doing it was the government paid you a certain amount for looking after evacuees. Unfortunately if you were over the age of sixteen that money was spent on school and food and other necessities. If you need more money your parents had to pay.

Settling in

For many settling in was not easy, as it was not about who you likes it was about who had space so the rich mixed with the poor and the poor mixed with the rich. Many were unused to certain things and didn't like their family but for some lucky once they got nice families and adapted to new changes quickly. Something that happened to many was they got evacuated then were sent home, but got re-evacuated so you might have gotten different families. Even though it's unlikely some did stay with the same families the hole way through the war.

 Life after the war

Rationing after the war stayed for several years after the war, and many buildings were destroyed. For destroyed houses there was housing put up by the government for those to use till they got a new house or home but for many children school started almost immediately.  Due to destruction they used libraries and churches instead of schools. It took many years to get cities back on track but they managed.