World War Two - Chlidren in Wartime

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 (8th May 1945), Victory in Japan Day (15th August 1945) and Victory Day (8th June 1946) gave communities the opportunity to enjoy street parties and parades.