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FROM HIGH HEELS TO WELLIES

Marjorie Williams (nee Webb)

Leaving home, volunteering, to feed the nation in ‘The Women’s Land Army’ in the tender years.

The beginning was horrendous leaving city life to become farm labourers working manually long hours in all weathers. It gradually grew within us a determination, a great espirt de corps developed by the intense feeling of helping the war effort while many of our loved ones were facing the enemy abroad.

We worked together, laughed together, and sometimes even cried together!

Attending church on Sunday helped the sadness of leaving our homes and the sorrow for those that had lost family, even the toughest of us attended church although religion was seldom mentioned.

We were employed by Sir Roland Hodge in Surrey for a period on his farm and with his great kindness invited us young and awkward girls to dinner and to meet Sonya Hieni and the handsome Stewart Granger.

I sat there in awe daring to gaze at my screen hero — me, with my puppy fat in an ill fitting best Sunday dress sitting in the most elegant dining room being waited upon! To my great embarrassment I nearly mistook the finger bowl for drinking water.

When the time came to part Steward Granger smiled softly at me, took my hand and brushed it with his lips. Back at the hostel I told the girls I would never wash that hand again!

I now with love, in my old age, carry a memory of a golden cornfield, blue skies, and a glorious sun shining upon us — and it seemed from within us.

We that were together will never forget ……………………

24 Hull Crescent
Bearwood
Bournemouth
Dorset
BH11 9RG
Tel: 01202 575117

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