Who Was Affected?

 

The British Government’s evacuation scheme categorized the country as follows:

 

EVACUATION

Initially plans included only major towns and cities seen as likely targets for aerial attack. As the war developed, certain coastal areas that were seen as possible invasion sites were also evacuated.

 

RECEPTION

These were the areas to which evacuees would be taken. They were considered to be relatively safe from enemy attack. They were not solely rural areas; many towns were included.

 

NEUTRAL

These areas were totally excluded from the government’s evacuation scheme and no evacuees would be taken to or from them.

 

In the evacuation areas, the government scheme provided for the evacuation of school children, expectant mothers, mothers with children under school age and the infirm.

 

In the reception areas anyone who had room for evacuees was affected, as were the local schools and their pupils. In many places schools had to operate a two-shift system to accommodate all the additional children. Lessons were held in village halls, church rooms, public houses, barns, sheds and even in the open air.