Land Girls

‘Let me tell you about the night I spent with three girls from the Land Army’ said one of our older members ! This comment followed an invitation to share reminiscences by our speaker, Robin Hall, lately curator of Worcestershire County Museum who was assisted by testimonies from Josephine, Sheila and Nancy, three on-the-spot ‘recruits.’

Robin traced the origins (WW1), and activities of the Land Army (87,000 recruits in 1943) supporting the Home Front. Of all types, they were organised like the WI. After one month’s training, LA’s girls (they were always ‘girls’ never ladies) engaged in a huge range of agricultural work including milking recalcitrant cows, harvesting, milk deliveries and thistle cutting…

Accommodation ranged from a hostel in a castle in Scotland to a newly converted chicken shed ! Unlike for returning veterans, recognition came late: at the annual Cenotaph ceremony (from 2000) and medals (from 2008) .

Our next meeting is Friday, March 17 at 7.30pm St Laurence Church Hall Bidford : “The 17th century village – who was in charge?” by Deborah Hayter

MARK SHADDICK