WW2 Sounds - Evacuation - The Blitz - WW2 Speeches - WW2 Songs - WW2 News
A host family describes the experience of receiving evacuees.
'I've been married 16 years with no children of my own鈥nd I'm very glad to have these two girls鈥or I've always longed for two鈥nd we've been over the hills, rambling and running about鈥nd we have a girl, Frances, their friend with them, she comes and goes out with us鈥nd on Sunday tea we had a party for them鈥lind Man's Buff and Hide and Seek鈥ll the games we could think of鈥nd I think they had a grand time. They're here with me now and they're thinking of going swinging this afternoon鈥njoying their selves.'
'What does your husband think about it?'
'Oh he's glad to have them - he's just thrilled at having them. And he says he hopes they stay forever.'
And here's another housewife from the same town. She has two children of her own but she's no less ready to welcome the newcomers鈥
'I ask them what they'd like鈥nd they just say that as long as it's home-cooked food they're satisfied鈥hey've had a cooked dinner each day鈥 asked each of them yesterday what they'd like for tea and they said 'Oh anything' and I said 'Do you like home-made chips?' and they said 'Yes we love them!' They both had a second helping of them and enjoyed them!'
A host family describes the experience of receiving evacuees.
For many children evacuation provided their first real contact with the countryside. Many children helped with work, for example on farms. The experience was often a complete contrast to life in the city and some children expressed fear of farm animals that they had never seen before.
Life was not necessarily any easier in the countryside, but food was usually less scarce and many children enjoyed more physical exercise than previously.
This is another interview from September 1939 and the 大象传媒 programme 'We have been evacuated'. As you'll hear, chips were as popular then as they are today!
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WW2 Sounds - Evacuation - The Blitz - WW2 Speeches - WW2 Songs - WW2 News