In September rumours were already circulating among the evacuees , and in Gibraltar , that the possibility of re @-@ evacuating the Gibraltarians once more was being mooted , this time the destination being Jamaica , in the West Indies . After much contention , it was decided to send a party directly from Gibraltar to the island , and 1 @,@ 093 evacuees left for Jamaica direct , on 9 October , with more following later on . However petitions followed and the demands were met , partly for strategic reasons and the lack of available shipping . The situation at the end of 1940 , therefore , was that approximately 2 @,@ 000 evacuees were in Jamaica and a lesser number in Madeira , with the bulk of around 10 @,@ 000 housed in the London area .