The Children's War Exhibition

The Children's War Exhibition

Next month is the sixtieth Anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The Imperial War Museum in London has an exhibition called the children's war. It includes the 1940's house; unfortunately it has dropped some of the exhibits which is a great pity. The video of the television programme of the 1940's house told you a lot about how families lived.
Although I found the children's war very interesting it was heavy going. It could have done with more interactive things. They had screens with various short articles these allowed you to flip backwards and forwards, it even had a menu for you to make choices from. But it was almost impossible to do so with so many people reading the one item. They also showed you a week's ration but didn't show menus to give you idea of what meals were like then. Nor did they inform you what else would have been eaten to make up the difference.
This exhibition is part of history something children and adults should be aware of. It could have been a lot better. But despite this it is well worth a visit. The Second World War is an important piece of history and therefore something everyone should be made aware of. The museum from time to time will have people who were children during the war; this will not only make it more interesting but also an enjoyable learning experience.
This exhibition tells you what the war was like from the children's perspective. Children were evacuated from London to the country; some even went abroad to Canada or America. Each would have a parcel label tied to them rather like Paddington Bear. Few would see their parents again before the end of the war. One mother sent her son off, insisting that he wore his jacket at all times, never taking it off. His jacket was waterproof and made of kapok. He fortunately did as he was told as the jacket saved his life. The ship he was travelling on failed to reach its destination.
My parents were young children during the war and they hated the sound of the air raid siren. When hurrying to a shelter my mother got a piece of shrapnel on her dressing gown. And my father while staying with his aunt in the country had to lie down in someone's garden, as a German plane flew extremely low and fired incessantly down the middle of the road. There were hidden dangers as well when my grandmother went to visit someone, my mother and her older brother jumped up and down on a pile of sandbags in the corner of the garden, suddenly my grandmother came rushing out and told them to get off immediately. Underneath was an incendiary bomb that had failed to explode. Neither my mother nor uncle had any idea of the danger their game could have caused.
At the exhibition you can listen to the air raid warning sound and the all clear. You can also walk through an Anderson shelter; see what a school room would have looked like. Rationing went on long after the war. Sweets were rationed you were allowed just two ounces a week. They continued to be rationed till the early fifties.
So try to visit the exhibition, talk to your grandparents and possibly even your great grandparents about their experiences.
If you are interested in more information about the war then visit www.bbc.co.uk/history 1940's house
Also here are a couple of books that you might like to try. The Diary of Anne Frank I am sure you have heard of it is brilliant and a book everyone should read. Especially as this is also the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. What happened in these concentration camps was so horrendous words can't express. But it can never be forgotten so it can never be repeated.
The other is Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian. This was made into an excellent television drama. It is about an old man who looks after a boy who has been evacuated to his village. Both these books I highly recommend.
Finally if you can't get to the Imperial War Museum then see what is on offer near you. There should be something on to mark the sixtieth anniversary.
© Children's Web Magazine 2005

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The Children's War Exhibition Next month is the sixtieth Anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The Imperial War Museum in London has an exhibition called the children's war. It includes the 1940's house; unfortunately it has dropped some of the exhibits which is a great pity. The video of the television programme of the 1940's house told you a lot about how families lived. Although I found the children's war very interesting it was heavy going. It could have done with more interactive things. They had screens with various short articles these allowed you to flip backwards and forwards, it even had a menu for you to make choices from. But it was almost impossible to do so with so many people reading the one item. They also showed you a week's ration but didn't show menus to give you idea of what meals were like then. Nor did they inform you what else would have been eaten to make up the difference. This exhibition is part of history something children and adults should be aware of. It could have been a lot better. But despite this it is well worth a visit. The Second World War is an important piece of history and therefore something everyone should be made aware of. The museum from time to time will have people who were children during the war; this will not only make it more interesting but also an enjoyable learning experience. This exhibition tells you what the war was like from the children's perspective. Children were evacuated from London to the country; some even went abroad to Canada or America. Each would have a parcel label tied to them rather like Paddington Bear. Few would see their parents again before the end of the war. One mother sent her son off, insisting that he wore his jacket at all times, never taking it off. His jacket was waterproof and made of kapok. He fortunately did as he was told as the jacket saved his life. The ship he was travelling on failed to reach its destination. My parents were young children during the war and they hated the sound of the air raid siren. When hurrying to a shelter my mother got a piece of shrapnel on her dressing gown. And my father while staying with his aunt in the country had to lie down in someone's garden, as a German plane flew extremely low and fired incessantly down the middle of the road. There were hidden dangers as well when my grandmother went to visit someone, my mother and her older brother jumped up and down on a pile of sandbags in the corner of the garden, suddenly my grandmother came rushing out and told them to get off immediately. Underneath was an incendiary bomb that had failed to explode. Neither my mother nor uncle had any idea of the danger their game could have caused. At the exhibition you can listen to the air raid warning sound and the all clear. You can also walk through an Anderson shelter; see what a school room would have looked like. Rationing went on long after the war. Sweets were rationed you were allowed just two ounces a week. They continued to be rationed till the early fifties. So try to visit the exhibition, talk to your grandparents and possibly even your great grandparents about their experiences. If you are interested in more information about the war then visit www.bbc.co.uk/history 1940's house Also here are a couple of books that you might like to try. The Diary of Anne Frank I am sure you have heard of it is brilliant and a book everyone should read. Especially as this is also the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. What happened in these concentration camps was so horrendous words can't express. But it can never be forgotten so it can never be repeated. The other is Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian. This was made into an excellent television drama. It is about an old man who looks after a boy who has been evacuated to his village. Both these books I highly recommend. Finally if you can't get to the Imperial War Museum then see what is on offer near you. There should be something on to mark the sixtieth anniversary. © Children's Web Magazine 2005
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