Out of Harm's Way: The Wartime Evacuation of Children from Britain

by Jessica Mann

In June 1940, Britain expected enemy invasion. Despite Churchill's determination to fight on the beaches, many parents made desperate efforts to send their children abroad to safety. Thousands left for America, Canada, Australia, and other distant countries. In this revealing new book, Jessica Mann, herself a wartime evacuee, looks at the experiences of those who were sent away to a foreign land, including their dangerous journeys across U-boat-ridden oceans, and asks how they coped with being away, and how they found life back in the UK on their return. Drawing on extensive original research and memories of many former evacuees, including Elizabeth Taylor and Shirley Williams, Jessica Mann builds up a moving portrait of a lost generation.

Genres: History, War, World War II, Nonfiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Crime-writer Jessica Mann was born in London, England in 1937. She studied archaeology at Cambridge University and Law at Leicester University.

She is the author of a non-fiction book, Deadlier Than the Male: An Investigation into Feminine Crime Writing, about female crime writers from Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers to Ngaio Marsh. She contributes reviews and feature articles to many newspapers and magazines, is a regular broadcaster on TV and radio and tours regularly promoting her books at events and festivals.

Jessica Mann lives with her husband, an archaeologist, in Cornwall. Her latest book is The Mystery Writer (2006).

Reviews

[eghzarw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Очень интересно и подробно рассказано о британском киндертранспорте -- эвакуации детей в бывшие и текущие колонии в начале Второй Мировой. Кто-то поехал в каюте первого класса и попал к любящим родственникам, кто-то поехал в тесной койке и попал к нехорошим людям, кто-то из обычного британского среднего класса (ванна раз в неделю, холодная спальня, индифферентная еда) попал к Ротшильдам и Вандербильтам, к центральному отоплению, собственной ванной и горничной. В Америке и Канаде детям (особенно девочкам) жилось в целом куда свободнее и веселее: а когда эти тинейджеры вернулись домой после своих выпускных балов, свиданий и котильонов, оказалось, что в Англии они все еше дети, у них отоборали браслеты с брелками и запретили общаться с мальчиками. Много разных историй -- в известной степени удивляет (хотя можно понять), насколько игнорировались чувства детей как по отправке, так и по возвращении. Для большинства детей разлука с родителями на три-четыре года обернулась тяжелой травмой, которой занялись только лет через 50.

Одной вещи мне там не хватало -- кратких биографий упомянутых по именам детей, как у них дальше сложилось, кем они стали. Успеваешь с ними сдружиться, а потом они просто пропадают.

[Shaun Helsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of Harm's Way is a good book exploring the British evacuation of it's children from the inner cities to the countryside and beyond to wider areas in the commonwealth to keep them safe from the Luftwaffe bombardments and the idea that Germany would invade Britain's southern border.

This book is definitely one suited to the historian though more so than the casual reader so it isn't the most accessible book regarding things like Operation Pied Piper and CORB. However, it is still well written and provides personal sources that do a fine job in illustrating the experience both for the politicians making these decisions and the parents who had to be willing to risk their children living with strangers, far from home, on the idea that safety was assured out of harm's way.

[Carol Fillmore]

have read as much of this as I want to, way too academic for my taste, 'dry as bones'. Failed to keep my interest. Don't know how to rate it. Nothing technically wrong with the writing. It could have been written in a much more 'reader friendly' style. I was looking forward to reading it as it's a fascinating subject but the author's style/tone was so ponderous.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual book genre but still a good read it was a real eye opener to how tough things were back then without the technology we have today !!

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical non-fiction look at WWII Great Britain when parents weren't sure if they and their children would survive. It looks at all sides of the issue of what to do with the children and in some ways reads like a text book. I didn't try to remember all the names or characters as there are way too many individual stories.
I gave it four stars, because it was more for studying than entertainment. I had to adjust to seeing small print and even smaller print when the author quoted someone. There were no quotation marks, just smaller print. Some of the words are spelled differently, as the English use different spelling. That wasn't too difficult, but it was confusing as to who said what quite often.
Out of Harm's Way was packed with information that I didn't know. Some of the children's boats were torpedoed! It talks of evacuee's experiences in numerous countries including USA, Canada and Australia. There were huge differences in the way other countries bring up children and this is brought out in the book along with touching on the mental effects of being a child and leaving family behind, then being returned in a few years. Some of the children were thrilled at the prospect, and some hated every minute of long years away. Some even ran away from their new and varied places and some returned to their host countries after the War.
The back of the book lists the incredible number of books and authors Jessica researched to bring this excellent work about. If you are serious about research, this book is for you. Hats off to Jessica and all the hard work she has done on this labor of love! Thank you Jessica!

[Josie Murrell]

yes it was very interesting!