The Evacuation The True Story Author:Martin Parsons, Penny Starns Accompanying the BBC Radio 4 series of the same name, this book reveals what really happened to the children of the World War II evacuation. Based on personal testimonies of over 500 evacuees, it uncovers historical evidence revealing that the evacuation scheme was mismanaged, with disastrous consequences. The civilian evacuation which began on ... more »1 September 1939 (code named Operation Pied Piper) represents the biggest social upheaval in Britain's history. Government officials had planned evacuation merely as a military manoeuvre which was designed to disperse the civilian population and make them less vulnerable to enemy attack. For those involved however, evacuation meant that their lives would never be the same again. While government propaganda and jingoistic journalism portrayed the young evacuees as happy smiling children set for great adventure, the reality was somewhat different.« less