The Chronicles of Narnia : The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe — The Wartime Evacuations of Schoolchildren: An Overview

As war became increasingly likely, one urgent step the British government took was to evacuate children from towns and cities. On September 1, 1939, two days before war was declared, the evacuation of a million children began--the largest movement of people ever seen in Britain. Teachers today will find it especially interesting to note that most evacuated children traveled by train with their schools for refuge further out into the countryside. These events are touched upon in the opening of the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and are given fuller presentation in the opening of the film.

For modern-day readers unacquainted with the book's historical backdrop, it may be necessary to build background about the evacuations of London, the city from which the four Pevensie children are sent. See the opening lesson "Sent Away" in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Activity Poster.

Online Resources:

The London Imperial War Museum is featuring a special exhibit through 2008 called "The Children's War: The Second World War through the eyes of the children of Britain." See http://london.iwm.org.uk, especially the section titled "Civilians."

Print Resources:

Carrie's War by Nina Bawden, New York: Yearling Books, 1989 edition. This fascinating novel tells about what happens when Carrie and her brother are sent away from London to live in Wales during World War II.

Through the Eyes of Innocents: Children Witness World War II by Emmy Werner: Boulder, Colorado, Westview Press, 2001.

Children of the Blitz: Memories of Wartime Childhood by Robert Westall, New York: Penguin Books, 1988.

Bookmark In: