Operation+Pied+Piper

Children and World War II Evacuation during World War II [|Evacuees during World War II - BBC] Operatioin Pied Piper Evacuees stories
 * Operation Pied Piper **
 * References: **

Operation Pied Piper was when almost 2 million British children, some aged just two and three years old, were evacuated from their homes at the start of World War II. Evacuation was not compulsory and so there were still some children who stayed with their parents. The London Blitz, a name given to the German air raidsattacks on London occurred between 1940 and 1941 and was the reason for many children being evacuated.
 * What is it? **

On August 31st, 1939, the government issued the order “Evacuate Forthwith” and ‘Operation Pied Piper’ was started the very next day. The evacuation took place over four days. Between 1939 and 1945 there were 3 major evacuations. The first in September 1939, however, by 1940 60% of children had returned home. The second evacuation took place in mid June but it was many re-evacuations (100,000). The third evacuation occurred in June 1944 with the Germans firing rockets on London. 1,000,000 women, children, elderly and disabled were evacuated. World War eneded in 1945 but the evacuation did not officially end until 1946. Most evacuees had returned home before 1946. In April 1945, the Government began to make travel arrangements to return the evacuees to their homes when the war was over. By 12th July 1945, more than 100 trains had brought 54,317 evacuees home to London.
 * When did the evacuation occur? **

Watch this video and answer the following questions in your books. media type="custom" key="20395338" Questions 1. What is the name of the evacuee? 2.How old would she have been when she was evacuated? 3. Where is she from? 4. Where did she get evacuated to? 5. Who was with her when she was evacuated? 6. What was in the Carry Bag they were given? 7. Who came up to Evelyn when she was in the school? What did she want? 8. What was the house like that she lived in? Who did she live with? 9. What did Evelyn think of the other girl? 10. Did Evelyn get to see her parents while staying in the country? 11. What did they have to do each week? 12. How did Evelyn come to be back in Liverpool again? 13. How does Evelyn describe the Liverpool Blitz? 14. Why did Mrs Jones write a letter to Evelyn's parents? 15. Why couldn't Evelyn go to St. Edmunds? The children were sent into the countryside where they were then billeted out to families to be looked after. Every child wore a tag like one you would put on your suitcase. The children were lined up against a wall or on a stage and the families just chose which children they wanted. Not all families were nice to their evacuees. some child evacuees have terrible memories of abuse and mistreatment and some have fond memories. Each child carried around his neck a small square cardboard box containing a gas mask, and on the lapel of each child’s coat was pinned a name card. Brothers and sisters held each other’s hands “like grim death, and refused to be parted.”
 * Where did they go? **

You are to write a letter home to your parents imagining that you are a child evacuee during the London Blitz. You will do this letter in class on Thursday 19th July - Week 1 of Term 3.
 * In class Writing Task **