As an update to this thread, I was at my sister's 90th Birthday Party on Monday and I asked her if she had received the commemoration badge that the government had promised. I was disgusted (but not surprised) to learn that she is still waiting to receive this long overdue award so I fired off the following letter to The Times which , to-date, remains unpublished. Sir In December 2007 The Times announced that twenty thousand surviving "Land Girls", the women who toiled on the Home Front to provide food and timber for Britain in the Second World War, were to to be honoured officially for the first time by the issue of a badge. Yesterday I was delighted to attend the 90<SUP>th birthday party of a dear sister who had served in the WLA, as the Women’s Land Army were then known, and who, on my instigation, had applied for the badge as soon as the award was announced. To my, and others present,dismay we were told the award has yet to be been received. Come on Mr.Prime Minister, my sister is 90 ! A well placed squib on behalf of these redoubtable young ladies is earnestly called. Just think of the photo opportunities ! Disgusted from Cockfosters </SUP> <SUP> The pic below shows the Birthday Girl blowing out the candles assisted by her Great Grandchildren</SUP>
By sheer coincidence I presume, today seems to be the 'official' day : Credit where it’s due for Land Girls and Jills today | The Official Blog of LG Wednesday, 23 Jul 2008 Today 50 ‘Land Girls’ and ‘Lumber Jills’, representing the surviving members of the Women’s Land Army and Women’s Timber Corps, will go to 10 Downing Street for a formal ceremony attended by Gordon Brown where they will be presented with their badges. Good news indeed. Lovely fordson tractor with some 'Land Girls' this weekend at Beltring: Cheers, Adam.
Land Army Badges Just to report that my lovely sister has finally received her badge. What year are we in ? 2008 When was she in the Land Army ? 1943 I make that 65 years from service to recognition No comment Ron
Local lady also got her's. I loved being a wartime land girl (From Swindon Advertiser) http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/resources/images/583514/?type=display Former Land Girl Iris Sturgeon with her badge and certificate from the Prime Minister CITY girl Iris Sturgeon re-invented herself as a farmer during the Second World War. And, because of that, the 84-year-old has now been honoured for serving as part of the Land Army through backbreaking work in the fields. Iris, who is originally from London but now lives in Greenmeadow, has been sent a commemorative badge from Prime Minister Gordon Brown. She is one of thousands to receive official recognition for the role played by the Land Army women in a time of crisis. Women were called upon to help in agriculture as the men went to fight in the war and by the peak year of 1943 80,000 were serving. “I am thrilled to bits with the badge – it is so sweet,” said Iris. “I received the message from Gordon Brown last week.” At 18 Iris started working on different farms around the Yeovil area milking cows and hay making. “I loved every minute of it,” she said. “It was very very good. “It was very hard work but everybody pushed. “I remember a farmer telling me he wanted the cabbage sowed a certain distance apart. “I looked around and he was talking about a huge field – not a garden. “I don’t think I could work in a farm now as I know what happens to the animals afterwards. “I remember the cows crying for their young after being sent away to be slaughtered.” After two and a half years Iris contracted dermatitis and was sent back to London. “I was very upset to leave the farming,” she said. “Then I was sent to work on radios.” When she moved back to London she applied her new-found greenfingers to her own garden. Within no time she was making the most of her large garden and was churning out vegetables. But a few years ago she moved out of London and to Swindon to be closer to her family after the death of her husband Henry. Sadly, these days her garden is a bit much for her. “I have rheumatism so I have a gardener in to keep on top of things for me,” she said. “These days it’s more about flowers. “I just want to thank the lady who got recognition for the Land Girls. “She deserves thanks from people all over the country. We had to work hard when we were Land Girls but she worked hard making sure we got recognition from the Government.”
Does anyone know where I can trace the service records of a Mary Elizabeth Adshead bDecember 1909 in Handforth, Cheshire. She served in the WLA (Womens Land Army) but I cannot seem to trace anywhere that I can access information on her service records, her army number or where she would have served. Any information gratefully received. Thanking you in anticipation. Brian Carter.
Brian I've never looked at it myself, but I know there is an index to service records of the Women's Land Army at The National Archives, in MAF 421/1. I don't think the records themselves are available in the public domain, but the index might be a start to find basic details of service. Sue
To date there is no tribute to the work the Land Girls achieved and the Staffordshire Women’s Food and Farming Union have produced a website to collect donations to have a memorial designed, manufactured and installed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, with a target date of October 2012. WW2 Memories & History | WW2, Home Front, Rationing, Armed Forces, D-Day, Allied Invasion, The Blitz – publish your story
Hello Brian, I have just now found your query regarding the WLA service records. I was able to find my mum's records in 2009 by contacting: The National Archives of Scotland West Register House Charlotte Square Edinburgh, EH2 4 DF or email: wsr@nas.gov.uk phone: 0131 535 1314 or direct 0131 535 1413 fax 0131 535 1411 good Luck!! Irene
hello Irene Might be worth sending a pm to biffo0161 Brian has not been on forum since July 11 regards Clive
Can anyone help. I am a member of a local history group in Holford Somerset, I am trying to find out if we had any land girls working at the farms surrounding our village. I have asked around locally and no one seems to know. If we had some girls here I am suprised it is so hard to find out. My villages web address for Holford at War for anyone interested.
Holtsedge, did you try the National Archives of Scotland? I believe they hold the WLA records for all the UK. I had tremendous luck with them. See my post above. Irene
Holtsedge, did you try the National Archives of Scotland? I believe they hold the WLA records for all the UK. I had tremendous luck with them. See my post above. Irene No, I haven't or for that matter would not have thought to for records about Somerset England either, will give them a try. Thank you, if I have any success I will post it here.
Irene Was your mother's WLA service actually in Scotland? I understood that they only hold records for women who were employed there, and not for those in England/rest of UK. Sue
Yes, Sue, my mum was in Ayrshire, Scotland (Girvan, Ayr, etc.). I thought all of the UK WLA records were in the one place, but I could be mistaken. Irene
Unfortunately I don't think they are. The surviving index cards for England and Wales are at The National Archives, Kew, but they don't add up to much. Sue
The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to the "truly remarkable" work of the Women's Land Army (WLA) as he unveiled the UK's first dedicated memorial in Scotland. Prince Charles unveils land army memorial - Daily Record BBC - Comedy - Landward - Women's Land Army memorial
Would anybody recognise the area in the background of this photograph of my Aunt Naomi? Would love to know where she spent her days with the WLA. Not had any luck gaining information on her service. I know information is scarce. I know from the 1939 Census that was taken to issue ration books that her mother Josephine was living at 13 Craigton Avenue in Milngavie, Dumbartonshire. Then from my Dads Army record he lists their mother Josephine as living at 1. St. Andrews Cottage, Blairgowrie. 2. 4 Chapel Place, Fife then 3. 1 Toft Terrace, Anstruther, Fife. These addressed were provided as next of kin contact addresses on his record from 1942-1946.
Wondering if you would know where I might be able to find my Mothers service records for the British land army?