SOON after VE Day, arrangements were made to return evacuees to their homes in London.

Thousands of women and children had left the capital to escape German bombing during the war and were billeted with families in Oxfordshire.

Some drifted back of their own accord soon after peace was declared, but the first official party left Oxford on a special train.

On Thursday, June 28 1945, 26 children who had been living in the Wheatley and Woodstock areas, assembled outside County Hall in New Road, Oxford, before leaving on a train from the Great Western station.

The Oxford Mail reported: “Most of them were going home after nearly six years of evacuation.

“As they waited, they were given tea, lemonade and cakes provided by the Women’s Voluntary Service in co-operation with the chief billeting officer, Mrs R F Wrighton.

“One small boy had with him a big dog, which he had had since it was a puppy. He assured Mrs Wrighton that it would not bite and begged to be allowed to take it on the train.

“Some foster parents had come along to say goodbye. The children had varying opinions on going back. Some wanted to do so, but others were not so keen.

“At least one boy didn’t want to go. He is returning on Monday to live permanently with the people he has come to regard as his parents during the last few years. Many could not remember their London homes.”

The Wheatley and Woodstock party was joined at the station by a large group from Oxford.

All the children wore coloured labels denoting the district of London where their homes were, and according to the colour of their labels, they were put in different sections of the train.

There was a nurse on board with a special compartment to deal with minor accidents, and members of the Women’s Voluntary Service provided refreshments during the journey.

The train had set out for Oxford from Witney, where it had taken on 34 children and four adults.

After leaving Oxford, it called at Radley, Cholsey, Moulsford, Maidenhead and Slough on its way to London’s Paddington station.

Another train with about 70 evacuees left Banbury and travelled to London via Bicester and High Wycombe.

At the time, several hundred women and children were still living in Oxfordshire. Their London homes had been damaged by German bombs.