Ella and Harry find out about the wartime experiences of their grandmother Ruby and her brother Billy, who were bombed at the start of WW2.
1: Parting gifts
Synopsis
Ella and Harry have been given two family heirlooms by their mother: a diary that belonged to their great-grandmother Ruby and a watch that belonged to Ruby's brother, Billy. Both objects date from 1941.
Ella and Harry read some of the diary entries and 'act out' what they read. They learn that the diary and watch were given to Ruby and Billy by their father, when he returned home on leave during the war in 1941.
The children also hear how Ruby and Billy's home town was bombed during the war and the children had to be evacuated.On the day of the evacuation they walked with their mother to the train station. They boarded the train with their classmates with no idea where they are going…and set off for a new life in the country.
Resources
Teacher's Notes. document
Information and guidance on using this unit with your group (pdf)
World War 2 Clips. collection
Age 7 - 11. Video clips using material from the BBC archive. Topics include evacuation, the Blitz, rationing, songs, news reports, speeches, eye-witness accounts and wartime music.
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