Thousands were sent from orphanages and institutions in Britain to Commonwealth countries, mainly Australia and Canada, under the Child Migrants Programme which ended 40 years ago. LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Gordon Brown apologised on Wednesday for a policy that saw thousands of poor UK children shipped abroad, mostly without their parents' knowledge, to former colonies where many suffered abuse. Thousands were sent from orphanages and institutions in Britain to Commonwealth counties, mainly Australia and Canada, under the Child Migrants Programme which ended 40 years ago.

Siblings were often split up, some children were lied to and told they were orphans, while their parents had no idea where they had been sent.

Many were placed in children's homes where they suffered physical and sexual abuse, or were used as labourers on farms. The authorities deliberately changed children's names and birthdays so it was impossible for families to reunite.

"To all those former child migrants and their families, to those here with us today and those across the world, to each and every one, I say today we are truly sorry," Brown told parliament, adding it was a "shameful episode of history".

"They were let down. We are sorry that it has taken so long for this important day to come and for the full and unconditional apology that is justly deserved."

The Child Migrants Trust estimates that some 130,000 children aged 3 to 14 were sent from Britain to its colonies during the enforced settlement policy which ran from 1930 to 1970 with the aim of giving the youngsters a better life.

Rex Wade was sent to Australia when he was 11 and put in a children's home in Tasmania. He described it as a military camp, while those in other homes were used as "slave labour".

"There was no love, there was no kindness. The punishments were incredible, the beatings we used to get for stupid things," he told BBC TV.

"I blamed myself for years that I must have done something really bad to be shipped away to another country. I don't care what they say, even today, it wasn't for the good of the child. I didn't even know I had a mother."

The Child Migrants Trust's Director Margaret Humphreys said the apology had taken a long time to come because there had been so much denial about the policy.

"I think the cruellest deception of all was to tell hundreds of young children 4, 5, 6, 7 years of age that their parents were dead, that their country didn't want them, she told BBC TV.

Brown's apology echoed that made by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd last November when he also said sorry for the abuse and suffering of those children in his country.

Brown said a 6 million pound family restoration fund would now be set up to help those involved.

"Although we cannot undo the events of the past, we can take action now to support people to regain their true identities, to reunite with their families and loved ones, and to go some way to repair the damage inflicted," he said.

"We cannot change history but I believe that by confronting the failings of the past, we can show we are determined to do all we can to heal the wounds."