CAB80-32 — Page 62

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ANNEX I.

COMPULSORY EVACUATION OF THE THIRTY-ONE TOWNS

AND BRIGHTON.

Memorandum by the Ministries of Home Security, Health and War Transport and the Board of

Education.

50

Present Scheme.

1.

Plans exist for the compulsory evacuation of twenty- seven coast towns, stretching from Great Yarmouth to Newhaven, and of the inland "nodal point" towns of Ipswich, Colchester, Canterbury and Ashford. A list of the towns, with their population, is appended.

2.

The railway schedules for the evacuation of these places are in five groups:-

(1) Kent towns

(2) Sussex towns

(3) Lowestoft and Yarmouth

(4) Southend

(5) Other East Anglian and Essex towns.

The evacuation would take between 5 and 6 days from the time when a decision to evacuate was takeni

•

3.

In June, 1941, it was decided to make arrangements for the compulsory evacuation of school-children, if necessary in advance of the rest of the population. Accordingly, all school-children in the thirty-one towns were compulsorily registered, together with a voluntary registration of children under five years of age and their mothers, and plans were prepared for their removal at some stage in advance of the general evacuation.

4.

There are two schemes for the thirty-one towns: (1) under which

(a) the school-children and mothers with young

children would be removed; and

(b) the rest of the population would go at a

later date;

and

(2) under which if (1) were not adopted, the whole

population would be removed together.

New proposals.

5..

The Civil Departments have considered the repercussions on these schemes of the proposals

(a) that Ipswich, Colchester, Canterbury and

Ashfould be evacuated at Z 21 and the rest at a later date before zero;

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