World War II Day at Haymoor

1
World War II Day at Haymoor

• On Tuesday 26th February, Year 6 pupils took part
  in a World War 2 day at school. All the
  activities focused on developing their
  understanding of life in the 1940s. Many were
  practical (making sock puppets and mini-air raid
  shelters preparing the lunch digging and
  planting in the Dig for Victory garden playing
  playground games) We were fortunate to have 12
  visitors, willing to be interviewed about their
  experiences as children during the war, spending
  part of the day with us. This meant that all
  pupils were able to speak with and listen to
  someone who could tell them first hand what life
  had been like. All the children and staff dressed
  in 1940s style.

2
The outbreak of war On the 3rd September 1939 at
11am Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister,
announced that we were at war with Germany. He
said I am speaking to you from the cabinet room
in 10 Downing Street. This morning the British
Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government
a final note stating that, unless we heard from
them by eleven oclock that they were prepared at
once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a
state of war would exist between us. I have to
tell you now that no undertaking has been
received and that consequently this country is at
war with Germany.
Evacuation
Blackouts On the 1st September 1939, two days
before the outbreak of war, Britain was blacked
out. Not one bit of light to be seen through
curtains, no car headlights. Even the red glow of
a cigarette was banned. Britain was in complete
darkness. .
Gas masks Gas masks were introduced because
people were worried they would be gassed like
they were in the First World War. Gassed was when
they would drop poisonous bombs down which could
kill people instantly.
Evacuation
At the start of the Second World War, many
children living in big cities and towns were
moved temporarily from their homes to places
considered safer usually out in the countryside.
3
CLOTHES IN WORLD WAR II
Year 6 had a chance to dress up and experience
life as a 1940s child, but clothes, as we found,
were very different to today. Children would not
have had many outfits because clothes were
rationed, which meant they would have worn some
clothes more than twice in a week. Clothes could
have been too big or too small as children got
hand-me-downs from their older brothers or
sisters. By Chloe Black
4
Air raid siren
From 1939 to 1945, air raids sirens warned
British people that enemy aircraft were in the
area. People had to find a safe place under the
stairs or a table, or in a shelter. Tommy HB7,
brought in his siren for our World War 2 Day.
When the siren sounded, every child in Year 6 had
to dive under the tables. This was truly a
spectacular affair, as it got the whole of Year 6
participating.
5
10 Downing Street London 8th
January 1940 Dear Citizens of
Britain, Fifty-five million tons of food was
imported from other countries last year alone,
but unfortunately this now has to cease because
of German submarines bombing British supply
ships. The British government and I have now
arranged a new system which is to be called
rationing. From this day forward, rationing will
make essentials easier to find as there will be
more in the shops. More money will not mean
anything, although items will still cost the
usual price. I advise you to either, dig up your
garden to grow vegetables or keep hens for their
eggs. I hope that you are satisfied with this new
decision. Yours Sincerely, N.Chamberlain
6
Evacuation
People were evacuated from the cities to the
countryside so that the German bombs did not kill
them. Most were children sometimes with their
teachers. There were also pregnant women and
women with small children. They took a suitcase
with some clothes in, their gas mask and their
identity card. Some children went to live with
relatives and others went to live with complete
strangers. By David HB7

7
Mr Olsson's story
Mr Olsson was 5 when the war started. He lived
near Oxford with his older brother. This is what
he told us One day, a German parachutist jumped
out a burning plane and left a bit of blood in
our door way. I was very proud of that but it
started raining and the rain washed all the blood
away. I started to cry because of it. Another
day, I was standing on top of a hill and to my
surprise, a Lancaster bomber appeared with one
motor burning and the rest roaring like mad. It
crashed on the other side of the hill and the
bombs tread it into pieces. Retold by Filip HB7

8
RATIONING IN WORLD WAR 2
During World War 2, a lot of food and
clothes were rationed. Before the war started, 55
million tons of food was imported from other
countries in just one year. As war was declared
in 1939, the British government had to stop this
huge amount of food coming into Britain, as
German submarines started bombing our ships. So
they decided to start rationing.

From then on, things were a lot different.
Everyone was issued with a ration book and was
only allowed to buy certain foods. When people
bought food, the shopkeeper would remove the
coloured coupons as well as taking the right sum
of money.
9
Rationing
During the Second World War clothes, food,
furniture and petrol were all rationed because
Britain couldnt get food, petrol and furniture
and clothes imported.
Rationing lasted for fourteen years Britain
ended the rationing on July 4th 1954. They used a
ration book for food, furniture and petrol. They
had one book for clothes, another for food and
another one for furniture and one for
petrol. Some people made their own clothes by
making do and mending. Other people grew their
own vegetables by digging for victory.
10
RATIONING IN WORLD WAR 2
Before World War 2, 55 million tons of food a
year was imported from other countries, but
because of German submarines bombing British
supply ships there was no way of getting foreign
foods. Food rationing was introduced at the
beginning of 1940 everyone had a ration book
which had coupons in to be handed to the
shopkeeper when buying goods. Clothes items
started rationing on the 1st of June 1941. Food
and clothes rationing still carried on after the
war.