Government evacuation scheme
Title
Government evacuation scheme
Description
A pamphlet created giving government advice and information for their evacuation scheme. The pamphlet details payments, conditions, assembly points and how to register for the scheme. The last page asks for volunteers to help with the scheme.
Creator
Coverage
Language
Type
Format
One pamphlet
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
MJohnsGS19270707-170801-010001, MJohnsGS19270707-170801-010002, MJohnsGS19270707-170801-010003
Transcription
THE GOVERNMENT’S EVACUATION SCHEME
H.M. Government has made a scheme for the removal of children and certain adults from congested areas should the country be threatened with war.
The object of the evacuation scheme is to disperse certain priority classes from densely populated districts to country districts less liable to attack from the air. All householders to whom this pamphlet is addressed are resident in that part of West Bromwich from which certain classes of persons may be evacuated at their own request.
The West Bromwich County Borough Council are making the arrangements in West Bromwich on behalf of H.M. Government, and the Government is taking responsibility for all matters of policy and for the arrangements in the Areas to which children and others will be sent.
[italics] The plan depends for its success on the help which all citizens can give. [/italics]
READ THIS PAMPHLET CAREFULLY AND DO YOUR SHARE
[page break]
For whom are the arrangements being made?
1. For school children whose parents wish them to go. This applies to all school children, whatever kind of school they attend. No children will be taken without their parents’ consent. If parents do not wish their children to leave West Bromwich they must keep them at home on the day announced for evacuation.
2. For children below the age of five whose parents wish them to go, if accompanied by their mothers or some other suitable person chosen by the parents.
3. For women expecting to be confined who wish to go.
4. For blind and other disabled persons who wish to go.
No person who is not in the classes mentioned above is included in the Scheme. It may be necessary to take serious note of any attempt by an unauthorised person to join the party.
What will there be to pay?
Nothing will be charged for transport.
School children who go with their teachers will be provided with board and lodging and the Government will pay the people in the country who accommodate the children. A contribution towards the cost may later on be required from the responsible person, for example, the father of the children, if he can afford to pay.
Lodging only will be provided for adults and children under five who accompany them. Adults will be expected to pay for food for themselves and the children with them. A contribution towards the cost of lodging may later on be required from those responsible, if they can afford it.
If people find themselves without means in the Reception Areas, assistance will be given by the Government.
What conditions are there?
1. Should it be necessary to put these plans into force, announcements will be made by radio, and the press. Those who are leaving West Bromwich will have to go to Assembly Points at times which will be announced. They will be organised into parties. A person or child must go with the party to which he will be attached and no other. All must go in an orderly fashion and must obey the direction of the leaders of the parties and the railway officials.
2. Only those will be taken [italics] who register themselves [/italics] in the way described in the following paragraphs.
Assembly Points
The Assembly Points for school children will usually be the schools they attend, unless parents decide to send them to other schools as explained below.
The Assembly Points for children under five with their mothers or other responsible persons will be the schools where the mothers register, and should be the nearest elementary school to the parents’ home.
Blind people, and women expecting to be confined, will be informed later on of their Assembly Points.
[page break]
Registration
School children will go with their schools accompanied by their teachers, if the parents wish it.
If the children of a family go to more than one school, and the parents wish their children to be together, the parents can choose with which school all their children should go. Parents must make this choice when registering their children. This provision does not apply to pupils in attendance at Higher Education Schools.
Children under five years of age with their mothers. Mothers wishing to go and take children under five must register, or must register the names of suitable persons who will be responsible for the children.
Some children under five attend school. Mothers may choose whether they will take these children themselves, or whether they will let them go with the school, but they must register in any case. A mother cannot go herself without a child under five.
Mothers who wish to go themselves with children under five and who have older children at school may choose whether to take the older children with them or to let the older children go with their schools, but the mothers must register in any case. They should inform the Head Teachers of the schools of their wishes.
There can be no guarantee that the parties of mothers and children with them will reach the same destination as the school parties. Children who go with their schools will be provided with board and lodging; but all children who go with their mothers or other suitable persons will be provided with lodging only.
How to Register
(a) School Children – all school children resident in the evacuable area will be registered through the schools at which they are in attendance. It will be necessary for the parents to complete a form intimating their desire for their children to be evacuated and to return that form to the Head Teacher of the Department attended by the child. These forms will be distributed from the schools at an early date.
(b) Children under the age of five with their mothers will be registered through the Public Elementary School nearest to their home. Dates of Registration will be announced.
(c) Women expecting to be confined will be registered at the Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics or at the Education Department. Application forms for registration can be secured through the following agencies:-
1. Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics;
2. Medical Officer of Health;
3. The Evacuation Officer, Education Offices, West Bromwich.
(d) Blind and other disabled persons wishing to register for evacuation may obtain application forms from the Evacuation Officer, Highfields, West Bromwich.
[page break]
Helpers Wanted
Many voluntary helpers are needed in case it should be necessary to put into force the scheme outlined in the foregoing paragraphs. The volunteers are wanted:-
1. To accompany parties from assembly points to entraining stations, or
2. To do the foregoing and to accompany parties into the Reception Areas and stay there, either for a few days or for an indefinite period at the choice of the volunteer, or
3. To lend and drive cars.
The essential qualities in a helper accompanying a party are common-sense, kindliness, and a cool head in an emergency.
Suitable adults are invited to volunteer for this very important form of National Service. Not everyone can be an Air Raid Warden, or drive an ambulance, or man an auxiliary fire engine, but here is a form of service of which many are capable and which should have a wide appeal. For escorting certain of the parties, women will be particularly suitable.
People of goodwill, who regard themselves as suitable for this service, are invited to write for an enrolment form to the Evacuation Officer, Education Offices, West Bromwich.
THIS PAMPHLET IS IMPORTANT
If it is of no service to you, please pass it to someone who will be interested
H.M. Government has made a scheme for the removal of children and certain adults from congested areas should the country be threatened with war.
The object of the evacuation scheme is to disperse certain priority classes from densely populated districts to country districts less liable to attack from the air. All householders to whom this pamphlet is addressed are resident in that part of West Bromwich from which certain classes of persons may be evacuated at their own request.
The West Bromwich County Borough Council are making the arrangements in West Bromwich on behalf of H.M. Government, and the Government is taking responsibility for all matters of policy and for the arrangements in the Areas to which children and others will be sent.
[italics] The plan depends for its success on the help which all citizens can give. [/italics]
READ THIS PAMPHLET CAREFULLY AND DO YOUR SHARE
[page break]
For whom are the arrangements being made?
1. For school children whose parents wish them to go. This applies to all school children, whatever kind of school they attend. No children will be taken without their parents’ consent. If parents do not wish their children to leave West Bromwich they must keep them at home on the day announced for evacuation.
2. For children below the age of five whose parents wish them to go, if accompanied by their mothers or some other suitable person chosen by the parents.
3. For women expecting to be confined who wish to go.
4. For blind and other disabled persons who wish to go.
No person who is not in the classes mentioned above is included in the Scheme. It may be necessary to take serious note of any attempt by an unauthorised person to join the party.
What will there be to pay?
Nothing will be charged for transport.
School children who go with their teachers will be provided with board and lodging and the Government will pay the people in the country who accommodate the children. A contribution towards the cost may later on be required from the responsible person, for example, the father of the children, if he can afford to pay.
Lodging only will be provided for adults and children under five who accompany them. Adults will be expected to pay for food for themselves and the children with them. A contribution towards the cost of lodging may later on be required from those responsible, if they can afford it.
If people find themselves without means in the Reception Areas, assistance will be given by the Government.
What conditions are there?
1. Should it be necessary to put these plans into force, announcements will be made by radio, and the press. Those who are leaving West Bromwich will have to go to Assembly Points at times which will be announced. They will be organised into parties. A person or child must go with the party to which he will be attached and no other. All must go in an orderly fashion and must obey the direction of the leaders of the parties and the railway officials.
2. Only those will be taken [italics] who register themselves [/italics] in the way described in the following paragraphs.
Assembly Points
The Assembly Points for school children will usually be the schools they attend, unless parents decide to send them to other schools as explained below.
The Assembly Points for children under five with their mothers or other responsible persons will be the schools where the mothers register, and should be the nearest elementary school to the parents’ home.
Blind people, and women expecting to be confined, will be informed later on of their Assembly Points.
[page break]
Registration
School children will go with their schools accompanied by their teachers, if the parents wish it.
If the children of a family go to more than one school, and the parents wish their children to be together, the parents can choose with which school all their children should go. Parents must make this choice when registering their children. This provision does not apply to pupils in attendance at Higher Education Schools.
Children under five years of age with their mothers. Mothers wishing to go and take children under five must register, or must register the names of suitable persons who will be responsible for the children.
Some children under five attend school. Mothers may choose whether they will take these children themselves, or whether they will let them go with the school, but they must register in any case. A mother cannot go herself without a child under five.
Mothers who wish to go themselves with children under five and who have older children at school may choose whether to take the older children with them or to let the older children go with their schools, but the mothers must register in any case. They should inform the Head Teachers of the schools of their wishes.
There can be no guarantee that the parties of mothers and children with them will reach the same destination as the school parties. Children who go with their schools will be provided with board and lodging; but all children who go with their mothers or other suitable persons will be provided with lodging only.
How to Register
(a) School Children – all school children resident in the evacuable area will be registered through the schools at which they are in attendance. It will be necessary for the parents to complete a form intimating their desire for their children to be evacuated and to return that form to the Head Teacher of the Department attended by the child. These forms will be distributed from the schools at an early date.
(b) Children under the age of five with their mothers will be registered through the Public Elementary School nearest to their home. Dates of Registration will be announced.
(c) Women expecting to be confined will be registered at the Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics or at the Education Department. Application forms for registration can be secured through the following agencies:-
1. Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics;
2. Medical Officer of Health;
3. The Evacuation Officer, Education Offices, West Bromwich.
(d) Blind and other disabled persons wishing to register for evacuation may obtain application forms from the Evacuation Officer, Highfields, West Bromwich.
[page break]
Helpers Wanted
Many voluntary helpers are needed in case it should be necessary to put into force the scheme outlined in the foregoing paragraphs. The volunteers are wanted:-
1. To accompany parties from assembly points to entraining stations, or
2. To do the foregoing and to accompany parties into the Reception Areas and stay there, either for a few days or for an indefinite period at the choice of the volunteer, or
3. To lend and drive cars.
The essential qualities in a helper accompanying a party are common-sense, kindliness, and a cool head in an emergency.
Suitable adults are invited to volunteer for this very important form of National Service. Not everyone can be an Air Raid Warden, or drive an ambulance, or man an auxiliary fire engine, but here is a form of service of which many are capable and which should have a wide appeal. For escorting certain of the parties, women will be particularly suitable.
People of goodwill, who regard themselves as suitable for this service, are invited to write for an enrolment form to the Evacuation Officer, Education Offices, West Bromwich.
THIS PAMPHLET IS IMPORTANT
If it is of no service to you, please pass it to someone who will be interested
Collection
Citation
Great Britain. HM Government, “Government evacuation scheme,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed January 19, 2026, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/44175.