In the summer of 1938, the horrors of the Great War were a mere twenty years in the past. Hitler had swallowed up Austria, only six months earlier. Authorities divided the British Isles into “risk zones”, identified as “evacuation,” “neutral,” and “reception.” In some of the most gut wrenching decisions of the age, these people were planning “Operation Pied Piper”, the evacuation of…
via January 29, 1944 Operation Pied Piper – Today in History
I have heard many stories from older friends who were evacuated. Most were positive, telling of farms, fresh milk, playing in the countryside. But some others were treated harshly, being locked in rooms, and given barely enough food. Freezing cold in unheated houses, or being made to work as little more than unpaid child labour. It is certain that many dark secrets lurk behind those hurried evacuations.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Some of my favourite children’s books are about evacuation and overcoming the odds from the late Nina Bawden’s Carrie’s War to fellow actress Michelle Magorian’s Dear Tom which is surely now a classic for modern generations. You may remember the TV adaptation with John Thaw.
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That film with John Thaw was lovely. I watch it every time it comes on! x
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