from danger areas to safer parts of the country were put into effect. Because of Southampton's location on the south coast and its status as a large port city, it was an important target for the Luftwaffe (see Southampton Blitz). Because of this risk, the city's children were among those covered by the government's plans. On 1 September 1939, half of Itchen Secondary School's 520 pupils evacuated, the school combining with Andover Grammar School. Upon arrival, staff and senior boys dug air raid shelters before settling into life outside of Southampton. Andover Grammar School had their lessons in the mornings while Itchen carried out theirs in the afternoon and evenings, generally between 13:30 and 17:30, and allowed alternate Saturday mornings off. This schedule posed difficulties for the students, as classrooms were full of stale air and they had to conduct lessons using gas lamps with blackout curtains up at the windows. Finding accommodation was also difficult. Andover was also housing refugees from London so the town rapidly filled up. School staff had to undertake fire-watching duties. Itchen's new buildings were put to use during the war, being turned into an A.R.P. Post and Casualty Station with medical services. In 1940, French troops who had escaped Dunkirk, were given tea and sandwiches by the WRVS through the window of the Domestic Science room. A British restaurant was later established in the school's dining hall. Itchen Secondary School's evacuation ended in December 1944 with the pupils returning to the Southampton site after spending 16 terms studying at Andover. Post World War II Upon returning to the Southampton site, Itchen Secondary School had more problems to face. Many staff members had left or retired during the war and some of the school buildings were still occupied. The A.R.P. Post and Casualty Station with medical services remained in the gymnasium until 1948, and the British Restaurant remained until sometime after that. The exterior of the school had suffered damage. The metal railings surrounding the grounds had been removed for scrap-iron during the war effort and the field and cricket pitch had been damaged. All attempts to repair the field and cricket pitch kept failing, as without fencing, people repeatedly trampled and ruined the new turf that had been laid. Eventually the field and cricket pitch were repaired to their pre-war condition. There was an influx of students post-war, with pupil numbers doubling, mostly due