Evacuees for Kids

What Was Operation Pied Piper?

Operation Pied Piper was the code name for the mass evacuation of British children from cities to the countryside during World War 2. When the war began in September 1939, the government feared that enemy planes would bomb major cities, so they decided to move children to safer rural areas.

Operation Pied Piper was set into motion on 1st September 1939, two days before Britain officially declared war on Germany. Approximately 1.5 million individuals were evacuated in the first three days alone. The majority were school-aged children, but the evacuees also included teachers (to continue children's education), pregnant women and some individuals with disabilities.

Life with Host Families

The children and their families had no knowledge of where they were going or when they would return home. Most were billeted (placed) with foster families, but some were placed in group accommodations like schools, churches or farms. Evacuees stayed with host families in villages and small towns across Britain. Some children were welcomed warmly and had wonderful experiences in the countryside. Others found it harder to adjust to new homes, different food, and unfamiliar customs.

For many city children, life in the countryside was a big contrast to what they were used to. They had to adapt to a different way of life, interacting with new people, and sometimes even different dialects. Despite the challenges, there were also opportunities for new experiences - many city children saw farm animals or woodland for the first time.

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