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The Government started thinking about wide-scale evacuation for children, wives and mothers in times of war early as 1922, although plans were not firmed up until 1938.

Mother with evacuees

Evacuation became a reality after the outbreak of the War in 1939. Hundreds of thousands of children were evacuated from towns and cities to places in the countryside where there was less chance of them being bombed.

During the first few months of the war, the expected air raids did not come, and many mothers were tempted to bring their children home. However, air raids began in the second half of 1940 and the evacuation scheme proved right.

For most of the War, people were evacuated through the official Government scheme or through their own family connections.

The JWO helped with the evacuation of children and invalids not within the government scheme. Volunteers organised transport for those who needed it, and acted as stretcher-bearers and escorts.

The Evacuation of Children from Southend, Sunday June 2nd 1940, by E.L. Gabin. 1941

'The Evacuation of Children from Southend, Sunday June 2nd 1940', by E.L. Gabin. 1941

As part of the official Government scheme, British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance volunteers also accompanied evacuees on their journeys, providing companionship and comfort to the often-bewildered children. They also helped organise the flow of children through train and bus stations at both ends of their journeys.

In August 1944 the Ministry of Health asked for the help of the JWO in the evacuation of hardship cases, which were special cases needing individual attention. These included invalid children discharged from hospital who had been ill at home, asthmatic children, and families in which there were elderly persons or invalids. The JWO also provided short-term accommodation in hostels for old people and homes for children until the worst of the air raids were over.

In September 1944 general evacuation was suspended although the JWO continued to help, and find accommodation for, people affected by bombing, until the end of the war.