Guernsey Evacuees: The Forgotten Evacuees of the Second World War

by Gillian Mawson

In June 1940, 17,000 people fled Guernsey to England, including 5,000 school children with their teachers and 500 mothers as 'helpers'. The Channel Islands were occupied on 30 June - the only part of British territory that was occupied by Nazi forces during the Second World War. Most evacuees were transported to smoky industrial towns in Northern England - an environment so very different to their rural island. For five years they made new lives in towns where the local accent was often confusing, but for most, the generosity shown to them was astounding. They received assistance from Canada and the USA - one Guernsey school was 'sponsored' by wealthy Americans such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Hollywood stars. From May 1945, the evacuees began to return home, although many decided to remain in England. Wartime bonds were forged between Guernsey and Northern England that were so strong, they still exist today.

Genres: World War II, History

263 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2012

Reviews

[Book Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting information, but reads like a research paper, so can be difficult to keep attention. However, it amazes me how the people of Guernsey persevered through the war, whether they stayed during the occupation or whether they evacuated. Also it stood out how harshly we can judge others when we don’t have all the facts. People were belittled for evacuating, but had they not, there may have not been enough food to feed everyone.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many others, I had heard so much about this book through the author's twitter feed and hoped that it would live up to expectations. I received the book two days ago, and have to say that it was everything I hoped it would be and more.

The author clearly lays out the experience that the islanders went through, starting with the rushed evacuation before moving onto their arrival in the mainland, their travel to the North of England (and in some cases Scotland or North Wales) and then their attempts to settle and intergrate into communities. The struggle of each family or school group to find a place to stay and keep together is heart wrenching, but your spirits are lifted by the stories of the locals who came to the islander's aid, raising money and donating items of furniture and clothing. The book also describes how strangers helped the evacuees, schools were moved almost en masse and reformed on the mainland, and how the evacuees eventually returned to their island, along with their struggle to cope with the impact of five years away from their friends, family and home.

Throughout the whole book the author makes extensive use of personal accounts, diaries, photographs, letters, telegrams and documents from the period. Nor does she romanticise the events, telling even of the times when the evacuation experience did not work out well, and how the experience had a negative impact on the family life of many of the islanders, even long after they had returned.

The Channel Island evacuees were almost unique in the sense that their experience was practially a mirror image of most British evacuees. They had lived on a rural island, trains were unknown and towns relatively small. They were evacuated for the most part to industrial towns and cities with terraced houses, smog, factories and accents and customs that were almost foreign. That they not only survived the experience, but thrived and played an important role in the British war effort, is a testament to the bravery and dedication of the people of those islands. The author does them justice by telling their story fairly, accurately and in such a way to grab your interest from cover to cover.

Anyone with a love for history should get this book.

[Brenda Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

All credit to Gillian for collating eye witness accounts and images, then structuring disparate information into a coherent story. Her work to support the islanders through this book, events and other means is astounding.

I had read a prior book about the islanders who stayed on Guernsey and other Channel Islands during the occupation so it was good to get the perspective of evacuees.

My dad, aged 6 and two of his younger brothers were evacuated. Unfortunately he was separated from his school and ended up billetted by an unscrupulous woman who took in many boys for the money and beat them. He ran away to live, starving, as a street urchin until a policeman found him, then found his mother, who had by then had a house for all of them, including his baby brother.

Gillians book shows that while thousands of children were well cared for, for a brief period my dad was one of the unfortunate were not. Equally, while thousands were separated from their siblings and mothers, my dad was lucky enough to stay with his, albeit in poor conditions.

At the end of the War, dad, his mother and 3 brothers returned to be reunited with his dad and older brother who had stayed on Guernsey, growing tomatoes. Only his youngest brother could settle into the old new island life. Dad found it far too insular. Gillian shows this was true of many.

As soon as he could dad emigrated with two of his brothers to New Zealand and became a policeman, a tribute to the kindness extended to him during the war. Later, his youngest brother, in his 40s, also emigrated to join them. Dad never visited Guernsey or his parents again. To him they were strangers.

Dad never said much about his trauma, although another book, Guernsey Boy, fills in some of the detail, by drawing on Gillian's book and others. I'm sure her work has contributed to many other accounts.

The only thing I think is missing from this excellent book is a list of the prople mentioned in the text and the page on which they are mentioned. I know it's a big ask but I also hope others read this book and let Gillian know who is in the many photos within it. And, of course, contribute their stories to her tireless work.

It is a book, I think, for evacuees and their families. Each person and family mentioned could have a whole book written about their individual experiences, but Gillian shows how war affected individuals and communities. It is both an important record of the impacts of War, and trubute to those who endured it.

With warm thanks to Gillian for publishing this book. It has given me insight into my father's choices and personality. If only Peter Jackson would work his magic and turn it into a film.

[Katie Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a resident in Guernsey I find these books interesting. I tell my eldest son about liberation as his grandparents were both born during WW2 .

[Nicole Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting but I didn't finish it.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read the novel "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" and was rather ashamed at how little I knew about the Channel Islands during WWII. Somehow, the fate of the islands didn't really make it into the world history I took. I picked up this book on the Guernsey Evacuation in an attempt to learn something on this subject. The book is readable and thorough, though I did have a little trouble keeping track of all of the very specific names and places mentioned throughout. The author does a very good job at highlighting the differences in family structure and parenting during the 1940s compared to today, which was in itself quite interesting. I learned a lot about the time period in general as well as the specifics of the evacuation of the Guernsey children. I also appreciated the author's balanced and compassionate approach to the difficult decisions that parents and families had to make. It was particularly moving to read about the challenges of reassimilating to Island life for both children who had been long separated from their families and for mothers who worked and raised children on their own for 5 years and were then expected to return to their role as housewives. This is a very interesting history and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to learn a little more about the occupation of the Channel Islands or about family life in Britain during wartime.