On Thursday 19th September West Buckland Primary School re-created the evacuation process that many children of this country faced in 1939.

The pupils, staff and parents were dressed in period costume and gathered in the school playground at the beginning of the day to await the arrival of buses that would take them to Bishops Lydeard train station. The children then boarded the West Somerset Railway steam train to Minehead, where they were greeted on the station platform by members of the WI. The WI went through the billeting process and allocated the children to various local families! Following a short walk to the park the children ate a 1940’s style lunch that had travelled on the train in various suitcases and gas mask boxes. The evacuees also found time to visit the beach and play some games that would have been popular at the time.

The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves; ‘The most exciting day of my life so far!” Saxon, ‘An excellent experience it took me back in time.’ Ellie and ‘It felt really realistic.’ Robyn.

On their return to school some children wrote evacuation letters to their parents based on their experiences.