Thirteen-year-old Ken lives in Wembley and loves reading adventure stories and studying airplanes. Frustrated by wartime rationing and feeling unloved by his stepmother, he views his evacuation on the SS City of Benares as a chance to live out his own real-life adventure. He steps into a leadership role as he takes responsibility for the younger boys in his cabin and helps maintain morale during the crisis at sea.

Ken's former nanny and current stepmother, who cares for him and his half-sister Margaret. Stressed by the ongoing war and limited finances, she presents a cold exterior that leaves Ken feeling unwanted. Before his departure, she buys him an expensive new wool overcoat, demanding he take good care of it rather than offering physical affection.

The Fourth Officer aboard the ship who assumes command of Lifeboat 12. He is a levelheaded, quiet, and steady leader who makes critical survival decisions, such as establishing strict water rations and assigning passenger seating to maintain the boat's delicate balance.

A boisterous, bossy, and courageous gunner who takes immediate physical action during the crisis. He uses a direct, no-nonsense approach to reassure the boys, often brushing off their complaints to force them to focus on survival rather than despair.

The young, self-confident leader of the Lascar (Indian) stewards on the ship. Dressed in white clothing with a turquoise sash and turban, he acts as an essential translator and messenger between the British passengers and the Indian crew members aboard Lifeboat 12.

A female escort responsible for accompanying children to Canada. On the lifeboat, she acts as a surrogate mother for the boys, rubbing their cold limbs to improve circulation. She utilizes her storytelling skills to distract them from their thirst and fear by narrating a continuous adventure tale.

A Catholic priest and adult escort for the child evacuees. Despite battling physical illness and the flu throughout the journey, he remains a source of spiritual strength, leading the passengers in prayer and encouraging the boys to hold on to their faith.

A quiet, skinny boy with curly light hair who struggles to fit in with the more boisterous children. During the lifeboat ordeal, he suffers intensely from an untreated cut on his foot that rapidly develops into painful swelling and infection from the constant seawater.

A ten-year-old boy from Ken's Wembley neighborhood with a talent for drawing ships. His infectious excitement for the trans-Atlantic crossing helps convince Ken to view the evacuation as a thrilling adventure rather than an exile.

A twelve-year-old evacuee with wavy brown hair. He carries the heavy responsibility of looking after his five-year-old brother, Alan, and quickly bonds with the other older boys assigned to care for younger siblings.

A nine-year-old boy from Scotland tasked with protecting his five-year-old brother, Peter. Despite his youth, he takes his guardian duties seriously and forms a tight-knit friendship with Derek and Ken.

Derek's five-year-old brother who goes missing at the orphanage before being found safely listening to a story under a willow tree. He contracts chicken pox while aboard the ship.

Billy's five-year-old brother who relies entirely on his sibling for guidance during the evacuation process. Like Alan, he falls ill with chicken pox while on the luxury liner.

A hardworking postman whose demanding job prevents him from seeing Ken off at the train station. He hopes the journey to Canada will help his son learn to stand on his own feet.

Ken's three-year-old half-sister. Because she is under five years old, she is too young to qualify for the government evacuation program and must remain in the danger zone during the Blitz.

A cadet aboard the SS City of Benares. He later allows the boys to operate the Fleming gear handles on the lifeboat, keeping them occupied and giving them a sense of purpose during the long wait for rescue.

A crew member aboard Lifeboat 12 who takes vital inventory of the surviving supplies. He calculates the strict daily rations of water, condensed milk, and canned peaches required to stretch their provisions.

A businessman passenger aboard the ship whom the boys dub "The Millionaire." He provides practical comfort by carefully rubbing medicinal ointment from the first aid kit onto the suffering crew members' damaged feet.

A young, intensely homesick boy who spends the night next to Ken on straw mats. He is sent home the next day after failing the mandatory medical examination due to a cold.

One of the young evacuee boys who ends up sharing the cramped space of Lifeboat 12. He endures the grueling, cold wait for rescue alongside the other surviving children.

An evacuee boy assigned to Lifeboat 12, sharing meager rations and listening to Mary's stories to stave off the terror of the open ocean.

A girl who previously survived the torpedoing of another evacuation ship, the Volendam. She teaches the boys about the manual rowing mechanism and underscores the critical importance of the safety drills.