This is the story of my father's evacuation from London as told by my mother

Context - Evacuation from London during WWII, started on 1st September 1939 (my dad would have been 7 his brother, Alan 5) primarily known as Operation Pied Piper it was the largest mass movement of people in British history, relocating over 1.5 million children, mothers, and vulnerable people to rural areas in just a few days

Organized by the government, the initiative aimed to protect civilians from expected aerial bombing

My mum told us this story …

"At the start of the 2nd world war David and Alan, my husband and his brother had to be evacuated from Harrow in case we were bombs coming over.  Their mother tie parcel labels on them with their names and they were taken to a London train station, where they were waved off.  David and Alan had no idea where they were going, all they had was that their parents has it was for the best and they were going to see a long lost aunty.  David and Alan had never been outside of London before

When the train left the station, you can imagine David and Alan, along with all the other children on the train where al in tears.  None of the children understood why they were leaving the people who loved them and the areas they were familiar with

When they train got to Derby, David and Alan alighted and so did all the other children. 

That's when the people the children were being evaluated to, would come and collect them.  Remember this in the days before the internet, mobile phones and email. Many of the people who came to collect the children had never met them before, which is why the names were on luggage labels.  David and Alan had never met this aunt before.

David and Alan would get all hopeful as a “new mum and Dad” would walk over, only to have their hopes dashed as they would read the luggage labels, shake their heads and move onto the next set of children.

When the adults found who they would be looking for, there would be shy hugs and then the adults would lead the children out of Derby station. Rinse and repeat. 

But nobody came for David and Alan

In the end Alan and David were the only ones left on the station

Can you imagine, being 7 and 5 being put on a train to somewhere you have never been and standing on the station in a city you have no idea.  Also at that age life is so much bigger and noiser.

They both began to cry because they thought no one was ever going to collect them and they’ve lost their mummy and Daddy and here they were going up to aunties and she wasn’t there

They were taken into the station Master's office and sat down. They were given a biscuit, which at that age tends to make things a bit better.

Anyway, about an hour later a middle-aged lady came rushing in, saying “my babies, my babies” and saying she was so sorry

Apparently there were two stations in Derby and she’s been waiting at the wrong station that she took them home and fed them and they stayed there for the greater part of the war