Mil gracias! Christmas greetings and thanks from the Basque children

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Mil gracias! Christmas greetings and thanks from the Basque children

 

 

We thank all the people of England, Wales and Scotland who have helped us - The Basque children in England. Six months ago you saved nearly four thousand of us from bombs and machine-gun fire and hunger. To-day in homes all over your island we are being looked after, fed, warmed, and well-treated.

Some of us have been able to go home to our fathers and mothers in Bilbao now that there are no longer air-raids. Those who have been looking after us took great care to see that only those claimed by parents should go home. Many of us cannot yet have that happiness. Some of us have lost all trace of our mothers after the fall of Santander and Gijon. Others know now that our mothers and our brothers and sisters are in Catalonia, suffering from hunger and cold and illness. They cannot take us back yet. 

 

 
There have been some people who have made a lot of propaganda about our being here. They have suggested that we should be sent back whether our mothers and fathers are there or not. We know that all of you who have helped us wish us to have fair treatment. Don't let the stories about us change your minds. 


 
Nearly three thousand of us expect to be in your kind country for many weeks to come. We thank you for all that you have done. We thank all the British boys who have welcomed us, who have played football with us, who have given parties for us. We thank all the schoolgirls and schoolboys who have helped to keep us here.

 

 

The Basque Children in England
A Christmas present

Even after all children, for whose return genuine requests have been received from the parents, have gone,
some of those who originally came are likely to remain. The Committee will still have to keep, and gladly keep, about 2,000 children.


The Committee ask for the Basque children in England the finest possible Christmas present - SECURITY-until they are able to rejoin their mothers and fathers. Help the Committee with collections, in churches, factories, peace societies or any places where people are gathered; by grants from organisations; by personal subscriptions; above all, by joining in the "Adoptions" Scheme. Ten shillings a week is not a big sum split among several people. It means the support of one little war refugee. 








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