Evacuation of civilians from the Channel Islands in 1940 opened up an evacuation account for each of the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey, to which certain costs could be charged, such as the cost of the evacuation ships, rail travel and the education costs of children. There were concerns over helping Channel Island private schools with their costs as British private schools received no help when evacuated from cities. From the people who had left the Channel Islands in 1939-40 and been evacuated in 1940, over 10,000 islanders served with Allied forces. A higher percentage of serving people from the islands had died per head of pre-war population than
Maritime history of the Channel Islands at La Hougue Bie, Jersey give evidence of either populations living on or visiting the islands. Guernsey and Alderney were separated from mainland Europe around 7,000 BC with Jersey some time after, but even at 4,000 BC the islands were close to the mainland coast for basic boats to move between islands. Archaeological evidence of trade from the Iron Age period is in evidence in the Islands, with goods manufactured on the western coast such as armlets, Breton pottery and amphorae from the Mediterranean indicating trade along the Atlantic coast from Iberia to Ireland. Armorica was the nearest trade zone.