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"This story was submitted to the site by the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Peoples War Team in the East Midlands with Keith Walters permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions."

When I first got accepted as a land girl I used to have to cycle everyday to Edwalton for 7am for milking. I used to collect cows from the field, which is now a golf course, already having put fodder in the trough and hay in the loft.

We used to sit on small three legged stools for milking to help us sit level with the udders. It was difficult getting the knack of milking. The first day I managed to milk three cows. Two land girls worked at the farm but one of them struggled – she wasn’t the outdoor type.

I volunteered when I was 21. At that time I was living at home and I used to work at Boots head office. I thought I’d help win the war if I worked for the land army. I was full of such enthusiasm. We went to bed early in those days and slept like logs.

A calf was born one day and it was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen. One day we got a message about collecting a bull from the station. We took a cow with us to entice the bull – what a performance we had. Eventually we got it back and got it settled. I opened the door and slung the hay in. The fork went after it. While the bull was tucking into its hay I crept in and got back the fork with my heart in my mouth. I’m still here to tell the tale.

I also remember having a pony and trap and taking the horses to be shod. We couldn’t have a bath and had to cook in the fire. I used to come home once or twice a fortnight and have a bath. It was a terrible journey by bike, bus and train.

I really enjoyed being a land girl and really felt like I did something. It was difficult but we did have some fun.

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