Sending Children into Safety? Maybe not. Evacuees during World War 2

     Ben Wicks.  No Time to Say Goodbye (1988) In 1939, Ben Wicks was sent into the country when the UK authorities worried about the expected bombing of London and other major cities. Reading about WW2, he noticed that there was little available about his and other children’s experience. So he put out a few adverts asking for reports of personal experience. He received hundreds of letters. This book is the result of sorting, editing, and selecting from them. Many people welcomed the chance to tell their stories, many told those stories for the first time ever, all were changed, for better or for worse, by being uprooted and having to cope with being strangers among strangers. Most had a relatively good experience, but some suffered physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. One referred to a sister whom she never saw again after being separated from her.
      Read the book. If you’re of a certain age, you will be reminded of your own experiences, whether or not you were an evacuee. If you didn’t live through that time, the book may help you understand why your parents and other older relatives are the way they are. The war changed us all, one way or another. ****