EVACUATION Firstnews BRITAIN at WAR New Evacuation Appeal
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WORLD WAR 2: BRITAIN AT WAR NEWSPAPER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE l back in ave tim Tr FirstNewse FirstNews MORE THAN TWO MILLION READERS a e nd lif br to ing the past 1939 –1945 “ You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory – victory at all costs, victory in spite of terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.” Winston Churchill, Prime Minister 1940–1945 £2.50 2. EMERGENCY MEASURES FirstNews BRITAIN AT WAR Britain is ready for war BRITAIN’S Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, o cially declared war on 4 September 1939 Germany yesterday. Preparations for con ict have been taking place for months. Mr. Chamberlain’s deadline for the withdrawal of German troops from Poland All citizens are reminded to carry their gas masks with them at all times. passed at 11am yesterday morning and he took to the BBC airwaves just 15 minutes later to inform the country that his “long struggle to win peace has failed”. The British Board of Trade said it is against the law now for any Briton to do any France followed Britain in declaring war late yesterday afternoon. The French business with Germany or Italy. are especially concerned at Herr Hitler’s aggressive behaviour as Germany is a neighbouring country. The ages for military service have been extended, so every male from 18 to 41 The British PM will lead the war e ort and yesterday wasted no time in forming must register for the armed forces. a war cabinet made up of nine key gures, including Mr. Winston Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty and Mr. Leslie Hore-Belisha as Secretary of State for A strict blackout has gone into e ect immediately, meaning that all lights must War. Four new ministries are to be launched: Home Security, Economic Warfare, be put out after dark. Windows and doors must be covered carefully. Information and Food. Nearly all forms of popular entertainment – football, racing, theatres and cinemas Just hours after Mr. Chamberlain made his announcement, the ocean liner SS – will be halted over the next few days. The BBC has scrapped all but one of its Athenia, a passenger ship carrying 1,400 people, was torpedoed by a German radio programmes – details will appear in newspapers and the Radio Times. U-boat. Early reports indicate heavy casualties: at least 100 people are thought to be dead. The attack highlights the danger our country faces from German forces. Prisoners with less than three months of their sentences to serve who are based A number of steps have already been taken in preparation for war, and they were in areas likely to be bombed will be released. being stepped up last night to make sure of the safety of British citizens: The Minister of Transport has announced that he has made an order taking full Important anti-gas attack information for mothers of young children is being control of the railway companies. handed out today. Thousands of anti-gas protective helmets for babies under 2½ years of age are being produced on a daily basis, while respirators for small The Minister of Agriculture has made an appeal for volunteers to help with the children aged between 2½ and 4 are becoming available for parents. harvest. Immediate aid is required in some parts of the country: individuals who can spare a day or half a day to help are encouraged to get in touch with farmers. In case there is a gas attack, the Government has announced it will inform people what to do to protect babies and young children who do not yet have Overseas, Britain is to send four infantry divisions to the town of Lille in France, helmets and respirators. close to the Belgian border, under the command of General Lord Gort. • Blackout in place across the nation • All adults and children must carry gas masks • British troops sent to France • Petrol to be rationed from 16 September Offi ce workers pile protective sandbags onto the roof of a building in London Mr. Chamberlain announcing A gas mask warning painted on the declaration of war to a pavement in Manchester yesterday on BBC radio Background to war: ruthless Nazis and false promises BRITAIN and France, who are bound The Anglo-Polish military alliance, signed by Britain and France last month, promised protection for Poland together by a military pact, have declared in the event of an attack by the Germans. There are fears war on Nazi Germany. that Hitler plans to invade other European countries It’s because of Hitler’s refusal to remove his troops in his attempts to increase German power across the from Poland, which was invaded on 1 September. continent. The Polish people did nothing to deserve the Last year, Mr. Chamberlain travelled to Germany to try brutal attack which follows the German invasion of to secure peace. He thought he had succeeded but it is Czechoslovakia last year. now clear Hitler’s promise not to go to war was a lie. Adolf Hitler (centre) at a Nazi rally 3. EVACUATION FirstNews BRITAIN AT WAR New evacuation appeal A British soldier kisses his evacuee 5 September 1939 son goodbye at a London rail station THE Government is launching a new wave of evacuations from the city to the countryside following a disappointing launch last week, where only half of London’s children left the city to be housed with volunteers in rural areas. Ministers are urging parents in cities across the country to take their children turnout. Of 1.8 million possible London evacuees, both adults and children, only to school for evacuation. Pregnant women, the disabled and blind are also 660,000 (36%) have gone: 377,000 children with their teachers; 275,000 mothers encouraged to leave the cities for their own protection as it is believed that and children; 3,500 pregnant women and around the same number of blind German bombing raids could start at any moment. Evacuations are not people. Buses, the London Underground, trains and even pleasure steamers on compulsory and the low numbers of evacuees up until now is being blamed on the River Thames have all been used to move people out of the capital. the fact there haven’t been any major raids over England so far. About half of London’s children have been evacuated, 40% of Glasgow’s and Evacuation began last Friday 1 September, before war was declared. The idea 25% from Birmingham and Coventry. In She eld, just 15% of children have was thought up years ago as the Government feared war was on the way. moved to the countryside. It certainly isn’t just London’s youngsters who have been asked to evacuate: Plans for evacuation have been ready since January, when the Government almost 40,000 people from Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham in began to look into arrangements for suitable accommodation in the country. Kent were moved to more rural parts of the county; 30,000 from Southampton Within hours of the Government giving the order on 1 September, 120,000 of the and Gosport have been moved to other parts of Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire Women’s Voluntary Service organisation were standing by to help make the whole and 22,000 from Birmingham are living in several counties now, including operation run smoothly. Worcestershire and Shropshire. For many children who have spent their whole lives in the city, the evacuation However, the numbers are much lower than expected. In London, the is an exciting adventure, o ering the opportunity to see the seaside, a farm or evacuation plan took three days instead of the scheduled four because of low rolling hills for the very rst time in their lives. OUR reporters Evacuee children in the countryside went to the Essex village Children’s checklist of Birch to talk PARENTS are encouraged to bring to an 8-year- their children to school tomorrow at old evacuee, 8.30am ready for evacuation. They are Peter Barnes, asked to remember the following: about how Each child should have a handbag or case he was nd- containing the child’s gas mask, a change of ing life in the underclothing, night clothes, house shoes countryside. or plimsolls, spare stockings or socks, a toothbrush, a comb, towel, soap and face cloth, Peter was handkerchiefs; and, if possible, a warm coat or rst evacuated mackintosh. One toy is permitted per child. Each from London to child should bring a packet of food for the day. From the country... Colchester, where School children will be taken by their teachers he and dozens to homes in safer districts where they will be of other children were taken by army lorry to Birch. He told us: housed by people who have already o ered to “We sat in lines and adults came along to choose the ones they receive them and look after them. Parents of wanted. A lady picked me and a boy I didn’t know. I have to school children living in these areas are strongly share a bed with him.” urged to let their children go. Parents will be Peter is already mucking in with work on the farm he is told where the children are as soon as they staying in: “On the farm I have to get the cows in and give the reach their new homes. The cost of the journey shire horses their water.” will be paid by the Government. 4. DEFENDING BRITAIN FirstNews BRITAIN AT WAR Defence force numbers soar A group of volunteers practise marching with sticks – rifl es will be distributed to all battalions soon 16 May 1940 THE Government’s appeal for volunteers to join a new homeland defence force has been an enormous success.