Source Evaluation on Evacuation

Source Evaluation on Evacuation

To some, evacuation was seen as a happy, adventurous time for children

during World War Two, but in fact, children and their parents suffered

from being apart and for many, evacuation was a painful and

unforgettable experience.

The photograph (Source B) shows us a picture of children and some

adults on their way to a station in London in September of 1939. We

can not be sure how accurate source B is and it is difficult to

comment on as it is hard to interpret whether the children are looking

forward to leaving the city or afraid of doing so. The children are

facing the camera, and waving to it, as though they are not fully

aware of the problems they are about to face, it is almost as if they

are going on a day trip. At this stage it also appears as if their

mothers are still with them. As it is a photograph however, the full

extent of the children's feelings and thoughts can not be seen. Source

B also does not tell us how the children were evacuated away from the

city, for example, by train or boat.

We can look at source C however and interpret many things from it. The

source tells us many things about the children's state of mind. Source

C is an extract from an interview with a teacher. She says 'All you

could hear was the feet of children and a kind of murmur because the

children were too afraid to talk. Mothers weren't allowed with us, but

they came along behind. When we got to the station the train was

ready. We hadn't the slightest idea where we were going and we put the

children on the train and the gates closed behind us. The mothers

pressed against the iron gates calling "good bye darling".

The above quotation taken directly from Source C is extremely useful

as evidence of the children's situation at the start of the

evacuation. Not only is the account from a first hand witness but the