Escaping the Blitz: The Myths & Mayhem of Evacuation in the Second World War

Escaping the Blitz is the story of the biggest social upheaval in British history. Portrayed by the government as a positive by-product of the Second World War, civilian evacuation represented the cornerstone of Britain’s civil defence strategy. In a single stroke, children were uprooted from their close-knit families and replanted in unfamiliar and sometimes hostile surroundings. Over the course of three days beginning on 31st August 1939, three and a half million vulnerable adults and children were evacuated from cities to rural areas. This totally haphazard mingling of social classes had profound and long-lasting effects on British society. From a government standpoint evacuation was an exercise in military logistics, but for those who took part it was a life changing experience. Furthermore, there was no typical evacuee experience, only a shared sense of alienation in the face of extreme adversity. Throughout the book QR codes link readers (using a suitable phone or tablet) to unique video content of evacuees telling their story in their own words. AUTHORS: Dr Penny Starns was awarded her Doctorate in History by the University of Bristol. Since that time, she has worked as an award -winning writer for BBC Radio4, and as a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, University of London and University of Bristol. Recent books include Sisters of the Somme, Truly of the Few: The Polish Air Force in the Defence of Britain Penny Legg is the author of over thirteen books. A university lecturer in creative writing, journalism and business writing, and author coach. Penny is a founding member of SO:To Speak, Southampton’s festival of words and author of Crime in the Second World War: Spivs, Scoundrels, Rogues and Worse.