King William Street CE Primary School

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Our School during World War II

 

The Second World War had a greater impact on the school. At the end of August 1939 arrangements were made for the school to be used as a Billeting Centre for evacuees.

Provisions such as tinned beef, biscuits, tinned milk etc. were sent to the school ready for issue as rations, and preparations were made for the reception of approximately 450 evacuees from London. The school was closed during the first three weeks of September, during which time the staff welcomed evacuees, issued rations, and arranged billets.

School reopened, with Britain now at war with Germany, to the news that a complete school would have to be accommodated on the premises. St. John's Church of England School from East London was given three classrooms for 124 pupils, under the control of the Headmistress, Miss Webb, and 7 assistants. The school now had 334 of its own pupils and 124 from London - 458 in total, and operated as separate schools until April 1940, when Miss Webb was instructed to return to duty in London. Three teachers stayed, and the school was reorganised into 8 junior classes, 3 infants' classes and a nursery class. (One teacher, Miss Gleaves remained on the staff at King William Street after the war, until her retirement in 1948.)

The school Log Book provides an insight into the War years.

29.9.1939 Air - raid warning practical The whole school was evacuated into the street in 2 minute 10 seconds.

12.10.1939 I attended a meeting to discuss taking up gardening as a school subject for the duration of the war.

22.2.1940 I received a request from the Office to find billets for 11 children coming from London to join St. John's School.

18.6.1940 A former pupil, Leslie Goddard, came in this afternoon and told me his experiences in the evacuation of Dunkirk.

12.9.1940 Received instructions to close schools for the rest of the week and the ensuing fortnight in order to receive evacuees from the S.E.Coast area.

26.11.1940 Air - raid alarm at 3.20pm. Immediate dispersal of children to their homes. All clear went at 4.30.

17.3.1941 Received gauze netting to replace the cellophane strips previously used for window protection.

16.5.1941 Frank Davis, an old boy, looked in this afternoon. He is a first class control seaman gunner in the Submarine Service. Noticing that he was wearing the Military Medal ribbon I elicited that he won the distinction about 6 months ago for rescuing 4 seamen trapped below in a sinking A.A. ship just off Portland.

25.8.1941 I have received the following memorandum: "All Head Teachers who have not already been so instructed should now be informed in confidence that in the event of invasion the schools should remain open unless and until authoritative instructions may, in certain circumstances, be issued directly by the Regional Commissioner and not through the Local Education Authority."

9.12.1941 Warship Week, during which Swindon hopes to raise £425,000 sufficient to buy a submarine.

7.1.1942 I have received sweets and propelling pencils as gifts for our children from the British War Relief Society of the

U.S.A.

11.9.1942 Mr.R.Jacob, Platoon Commander of the Home Guard came in to ell me that he would be using the school as Headquarters during the period of the Invasion exercises this weekend.

2.7.1943 We had an air - raid alarm just before 3pm. It lasted about 10 minutes. Almost immediately after another alarm went which lasted for another 10 minutes. This was the first alert since December 11th, 1942.

23.11.1943 We held a Rest Centre practice at the end of afternoon school. Between 40 and 50 people came pretending to have been bombed out of house and home.

4.7.1944 "Salute the Soldier" week. The sum subscribed by this school to the National Savings effort was the splendid one of £417.7.0. an increase of about £100 on the previous year's amount.

13.12.1944 Notice was received today that the school has been released as a Rest Centre.

8.5.1945 The schools were not opened as Mr. Winston Churchill had announced that Tuesday was to be considered as V.E. Day, the Germans having been beaten into unconditional surrender.