When the Children Came Home

On 1 September 1939 Operation Pied Piper bgan to place the children of Britain's industrial cities beyond the reach of the Luftwaffe. 1.5 million children, pregnant women and schoolteachers were evacuated in 3 days. A further 2 million children were evacuated privately; the largest mass evacuation of children in British history.

Some children went abroad, others were sent to institutions, but the majority were billeted with foster families. Some were away for weeks or months, others for years. Homecoming was not always easy and a few described it as more difficult than going away in the first place.

In When the Children Came Home Julie Summers tells us what happened when these children returned to their families. She looks at the different waves of British evacuation during WWII and explores how they coped both in the immediate aftermath of the war, and in later life. For some it was a wonderful experience that enriched their whole lives, for others it cast a long shadow, for a few it changed things for ever.

Using interviews, written accounts and memoirs, When the Children Came Homeweaves together a collection of personal stories to create a warm and compelling portrait of wartime Britain from the children's perspective.

“{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Arial;}} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs20 Praise for \i Stranger in the House\i0 : 'A fine achievement' \i Spectator \i0 'A poignant, lingering account of war without end' \i BBC History Magazine\i0 'Summers' stories of both heartbreak and courage give voice to the women who fought their own battles throughout the war' \i Mail on Sunday\i0\f1\fs18 \par }”

Julie Summers is a bestselling writer, researcher and historian. Her books include :Fearless on Everest: The Quest for Sandy Irvine; a biography of her grandfather, the man who built the 'real' bridge over the River Kwai, The Colonel of Tamarkan, Stranger in the House and When the Children Came Home,a social history of servicemen returning to their families from the Second World War. She lives in Oxford.

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Calibri;}{\f2\fnil\fcharset0 Arial;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;\red149\green55\blue53;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\lang2057\f0\fs20 On 1 September 1939 Operation Pied Piper began, evacuating one and a half million children, pregnant women and school teachers from Britain's industrial cities, beyond the reach of the Luftwaffe. \par \par The reality of evacuation is complex and interesting: some children went abroad, others to institutions or foster families. Some were away for weeks, others for years. Homecoming was not always easy, \cf1 and while for some evacuation was a wonderful experience that enriched their whole lives, for others it cast a lifelong shadow.\cf0 \par \par Using interviews and memoirs, Julie Summers weaves together personal stories to create a warm and compelling portrait of wartime Britain from the children's perspective.\fs18 \par \f1\fs22 \par \cf2 'A moving and revealing insight into the real experiences of children evacuated during WWII' \par Guardian Bookshop \par 'Summers is a good and knowledgeable writer\'85powerful, emotional stuff' \par Independent \par 'a fascinating range of stories' \par Daily Mail \par \cf0\f2\fs18 \par }

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.