The children of Sunderland had to leave town in their hundreds in the Second World War.
They were equipped with their own bags of clothes, spare socks, toothbrushes, gas masks and other essentials as they boarded trains for the countryside.
It was 85 years ago this year and they left from High Southwick, West Southwick, Millfield and many other parts of town.
An Echo photographer watched it unfold and there are those moments once more.
![Young Wearside faces as they left home in 1939.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/01/29/11/37/MixCollage-29-Jan-2024-11-09-AM-1240.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
![A mistress at Bede School examines pupils' kit at the evacuation rehearsal in 1939.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/01/29/10/40/eva3.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
2. Inspecting the kit
A mistress at Bede School examines pupils' kit at the evacuation rehearsal in 1939.
![Some of the Chester Road School children who were taken to Yorkshire under the Sunderland Education Authority's evacuation scheme in 1939.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/01/29/10/53/eva4.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
3. Chester Road children
Some of the Chester Road School children who were taken to Yorkshire under the Sunderland Education Authority's evacuation scheme in 1939.
![The parents of children who were being evacuated, wishing them one last goodbye in 1939.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/01/29/10/14/eva5.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
4. Waiting to wave them off
The parents of children who were being evacuated, wishing them one last goodbye in 1939.