An unusual subjective account of war-time experience of the evacuation of Finnish children to Sweden. In retrospect, certain patterns of traumatisation appear, especially in the psychological defences clearly related to separation, alienation, and frequently, the need to change language. I compare and contrast the Finnish experience with evacuations in the UK, which were overall less traumatic. Some psychoanalytic sources are supplied, relevant to the experiences, and to the characterological sequelae in the adults later. I criticise the majority of the post-war “scientific” reports on the data. Special reference is made to the value of the Finnish and Swedish War-Children's Societies.