Bournemouth At War / EVACUATED SOLDIERS Traditional Cache

Bournemouth has a great history. I have documented many famous people, major events and occurrences in previous geocaching series highlighting the history of Bournemouth. This series focuses on many of the key incidents and stories in the town when Bournemouth was at war. A complete list of all the caches in this series are bookmarked.

1940 was the first full year of WWII. Whilst much of the start of the war was about getting ready for what was to come, and to keep the community of Bournemouth safe, 1940 started coming under attack half way through the year, however, Bournemouth was also a town that many soldiers were evacuated to in this year.





On Friday 31st May 1940, many school closed in preparation for evacuated French soldiers. Malmesbury Park School, Alma Road Schools, the Municipal College, and the Boys and Girls Schools were amongst those in the town that welcomed the soldiers, and even Dean Court Football Ground was used, for the exhausted and hungry men in their torn, dirty uniforms, with many sleeping on the pitch.

St John’s and the Red Cross were at the billets day and night giving first aid treatment. Kitchens were set up overnight by the Gas and Water Company and the Corporation Catering Department provided food. Many families invited the men to share their Sunday lunch, as well as offering baths. Gifts of razors, soap, socks, clothing and cigarettes flowed into the temporary billets. A local newsagent procured hundreds of French newspapers and magazines which enabled the men to find out what was happening in their own country.

After four days the soldiers started to be moved to camps set up in other parts of the country and then back to France. All schools had reopened by Wednesday 12th June.