During the 1930s, Germany built up its army and passed laws restricting the rights of its citizens. The world watched nervously as the German army took over the neighbouring countries of Austria and Czechoslovakia. When they invaded Poland on August 31, 1939, Great Britain and France issued an ultimatum, demanding they withdraw. On September 3, 1939, when Germany failed to leave Poland, Great Britain and France declared war.
British and French troops tried to stop Germany’s invasion of Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg, but one by one these countries fell. Then German forces invaded France, and on June 25, 1940, forced it to surrender. Anyone who resisted was killed. All Jewish people were deported, and their lands and possessions taken by the Germans. Many thousands of people died in the fighting.
British forces retreated to England. Bombing intensified. Germany’s next aim was to take over England.
The English wanted to protect themselves and they wanted to protect their children. They wanted to get their children away from the bombs, and away from the German invaders.
As more bombs fell, children were sent as far away from danger as possible. Thousands went to live with host families in the countryside. More than one hundred thousand children went to live on farms in Wales. The Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB) was set up by the government to resettle English children in Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. And so, a massive evacuation plan began to move children away from the war, to save their lives by moving them across the ocean to safety.