For many children, the war years must have seemed like a huge if confusing adventure, for others it was a time of misery.
Adults and children alike were expected to carry their gas masks at all times. Babies had special cradle-like respirators. Children from those cities most at risk of being bombed were evacuated to safer places, such as rural Wales, where providing a billet for an evacuee was compulsory.
Many children from Chatham in Kent (where the Naval Dockyards were situated) were evacuated to Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley. Some parents displayed their patriotism and support for the war effort by dressing their children in miniature military uniforms. Victory in Europe Day (8 May 1945), Victory in Japan Day (15 August 1945) and Victory Day (8 June 1946) gave communities the opportunity to enjoy street parties and parades.
Find out more…
Discover more about Swansea’s history… Swansea – a brief history
