大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Ted Newcomen from the Hastings Community Learning Centre and has been added to the website on behalf of Kathy Faraker with her permission and she fully understand the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

My name is Kathy Faraker and I joined the Land Army when I was 16 years old. I was told to report to the agricultural college at Plumpton, Sussex. When I arrived I was taken to the room I was to stay in for only a short stay which lasted for four weeks. Then the Land Army found me my first job, which was in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. My duties there were general farming ones and lasted approximately one year.
A young girl was sent to us from London who had been on the Tube when the Germans bombed the Underground. She was put into my room and had to share my bed. The Land Army did not like this and the lady in charge had me moved to Kent.
There I was put on thrashing duties, which is to separate the corn from the sheaths. This was very hard work but we had some fun. Sometimes we had to be on top of the old steam engine putting the corn through to come out at the other end. We also had to rake out all the straw underneath the machine and if the wind blew any of the straw dust into your eyes it would make them very sore.
After about a year I was then sent to Surrey and worked in the surrounding areas until the war ended by which time I was about 22-23 years old. If I had my time over, would I do it all again? Yes, it was a hard life, but a healthy one!

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