Beyond That, the Sea

Beyond That, the Sea follows the story of two families—the Gregorys in Boston and the Thompsons in England—connected by Bea, who is sent to live with the Gregorys by her parents during World War II. Although the story presents the perspectives of eight different characters, the thread that connects them all within the story is Bea. Her life and experiences are particularly unique, living two different lives on different sides of the ocean that form crucial parts of her identity.

However, Bea’s experiences aren’t unique to the time period itself; she’s one of many English children who experienced relocation away from home during the war. This relocation was a British government initiative, codenamed Operation Pied Piper, under which a large population of the country’s children was evacuated upon the outbreak of the war (Zimmerman, Dwight. “Operation Pied Piper: The Evacuation of English Children During World War II.” Defense Media Network). Urban centers were identified as being particularly at risk, and evacuees were shipped off either to rural areas in Britain or overseas to places like Canada, the US, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The evacuees weren’t only school-aged children, however; they included expectant mothers and mothers with babies or preschool-aged children, who traveled together (Zimmerman).

Evacuation plans were established as early as 1938, and the first round began in 1939. The initial months of the war proved uneventful for Britain, lulling people into a false sense of security, and many evacuees returned home. However, after France fell to Germany in June 1940, Britain became its next target. This spurred a reevaluation and a fresh set of evacuations, with a greater sense of urgency (“The Evacuation of Children During the Second World War.” The History Press). In the book, Bea leaves home in August 1940. Reginald’s insistence on sending her away, despite Millie’s protests, as well his refusal to let her return until the end of the war even as things seem to slow down midway, are easier to understand given this context.

The evacuees’ experiences in their new and temporary homes varied vastly, from excitement at the new adventure and bonding with the host family, to boredom, confusion, anxiety, and fear (“The Evacuated Children of the Second World War.” Imperial War Museums). For most, the reunion with their families after the war was happy; conversely, some returned to find that their family members had passed away or felt distant and disconnected from those still alive (“The Evacuation of Children”). In particular, the children who bonded well with their host families and assimilated into their host region’s culture found it difficult to fit back into their old lives when they returned (Summers, Julie. “Children of the Wartime Evacuation.” The Guardian, 12 Mar. 2011).

The book explores these experiences. Even while Bea is away, Millie worries about her daughter becoming assimilated into life in the US, and Reginald feels a sense of unease, rather than reassurance, at the comfort that Bea has with the Gregorys. In some sense, Bea’s parents’ worries are realized: She doesn’t see Reginald again after she leaves, and her relationship with Millie is strained for years because of the life and identity Bea built in the US. Decades pass before Millie and Bea make peace with her time away, but once they do, Bea can reconnect with and reclaim the Gregorys as part of her life, without guilt.