Children's Overseas Reception Board
[1] The CORB evacuated 2,664 British children from England, so that they would escape the imminent threat of German invasion and the risk of enemy bombing in World War II.
This was during a critical period in British history, between July and September 1940, when the Battle of Britain was raging, and German invasion forces were being amassed across the English Channel.
Even before the Second World War began in September 1939, the British government had prepared for the evacuation of over a million vulnerable people, mainly children, from the towns and cities to safe areas in the countryside away from the risk of enemy bombing.
When war did eventually break out, the question of sending British children to Commonwealth countries was brought up in Parliament.
Nonetheless, it is estimated that, by the end of 1941, some 14,000 British children[3] had been evacuated overseas by private arrangement, over 6,000 to Canada and some 5,000 to the United States.
[2] They went either to relatives or friends or left as part of private schemes, run by businesses such as Hoover and Kodak, who would evacuate the children of their British employees.
In a related American activity, the quasi-governmental "U.S. Committee for the Care of European Children" (USCOM)[4] was established in June 1940.
Its purpose, was to try to save mainly Jewish refugee children who came from Continental Europe (as contrasted with those of the CORB from Great Britain), and to evacuate them to America.
In a complicated process, several hundred children made it to the United States, though the rescue of many more was ultimately thwarted by the Nazi occupation of southern France.
The organisation called the United States Committee for the Care of European Children was strongly supported by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (She was the honorary president).
It was sunk without warning west of Scotland by U-30, which had been shadowing the liner and attacked when it received news that Britain and Germany were at war.
Survivors were rescued by the British destroyers HMS Electra, Escort and Fame as well as merchantmen ‘City of Flint’ and ‘Southern Cross’ and the Norwegian tanker ‘Knute Nelson’.
Neville Chamberlain, resigned immediately as Prime Minister, and Winston Churchill was appointed to head a coalition government.
Shortly afterwards the Germans initiated their assault on France, quickly overrunning the northern part of the country and forcing the evacuation of British and French troops from Dunkirk between 27 May and 4 June.
With the fall of France imminent, the children's evacuation scheme was again presented in the British Parliament, and this time approved.
In Churchill’s newly formed War Cabinet on 17 June, Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs Geoffrey Shakespeare was tasked with implementing the evacuation programme.
[6] The same day, negotiations opened with the travel agency Thomas Cook & Son, for the new department to be housed in their London Head Office at 45 Berkeley Street.
[7] The British Government would meet the cost of the voyages with contributions taken from parents on a sliding scale, involving a means test.
[2] Although the British Government was now involved, and this scheme was sanctioned by the Cabinet, Churchill and some others were not personally keen on the idea.
Queen Elizabeth, wife of King George VI, had made her views clear at the outbreak of war.
She left Liverpool on 29 August with convoy OB 205, consisting of 32 other ships, and including RMS Rangitata, carrying 113 evacuee children bound for Wellington, New[9] Zealand.
Twelve-year old Patricia Allen of Liverpool and ten-year old Michael Brooker of Kent returned to find that their homes had been badly damaged in the Luftwaffe raids and their families were living in shelters.
[10] The second incident, which led to the cancellation of the program, occurred 17 September 1940, when Ellerman Lines' City of Benares, carrying 90 children bound for homes in Canada, was sunk by torpedoed.
After the disaster of City of Benares, British public opinion opposed the continuation of overseas evacuation, fearing further tragedies.
However, Bleichrodt refused to apologise to the survivors, despite several crew members of U-48, including the radio operator, expressing their shock and regret once the facts became known.
The programme itself was very limited in size; nineteen ships set sail with 3,127 children, the vast majority of whom made it to their temporary foster homes in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa.
[18] girls) Government Line of Steamers Llandaff Castle children Company in Convoy OB 219 sailing The following members were appointed[19] to the Advisory Council as announced in Parliament on 26 June 1940.They met at 45 Berkeley Street London W1, Thomas Cook & Sons, Head Office.
Miss Ellen Evans, Principal, The Glamorgan Training College: also appointed with special reference to Wales.
Miss M. F. Jobson, J.P., Member of Fife Education Authority and County Council; also appointed with special reference to Scotland.
Sir William Reardon Smith, Baronet, an authority on shipping; also appointed with special reference to Wales.
