大象传媒

Eleven members of my family were 'called-up' in the war. Nine brothers, myself and my younger sister. My turn came when a buff coloured envelope arrived addressed to me. It contained my conscription papers bluntly telling me to report to the local Labour Exchange the following day. I was 17 years old.

I was first sent to work in an engineering factory and shown how to operate a drill. However, after just two months I ended up in hospital suffering from an allergic reaction to the factory oils. Once fully fit again, I was exempted from further industrial work and sent to work on the land, becoming a member of the Womens Land Army.

New Hall Farm, Harlow, was within walking distance of home. That land is now Harlow New Town, however when I signed up, it was a vast arable landscape. I was instructed to collect my working uniform from Regional Land Army headquarters. Three other recruits and I hitch-hiked and begged lifts for the 20 mile journey to Writtle. Each of us was issued with yellow, thick drill dungarees, beige cord velveteen breeches, cream cotton shirts, two olive green pullovers and tie, a pork-pie shaped brown felt hat, a three-quarter length brown overcourt, an oilskin raincoat, one pair of brown leather lace-up shoes, wellington boots three pairs of thick brown woollen socks. A pair of green serge breeches (very smart) were sent to us later for walking out! I was told to wear my uniform at all times, and during the winter months I could hardly do otherwise! Discarding corded breeches and long woollen socks for silk stockings was unthinkable!

Up at the crack of dawn and on the farm by 7.30am, winter and summer alike, finishing the day at 5.30pm Monday to Friday, midday on Saturday. Work involved cutting, hoeing or picking vegetables for market. Lettuce and runner beans, cabbages and potatoes being the main produce, but I will never forget the brussel sprouts. On cold, freezing mornings with a thick sack tied around my waist for protection against the wet sprout stalks, and with frozen, drooping iceicles from my nose, I hardly dared to look at the back breaking task in front of me. Often fog blotted out everything beyond arms length. None of us knew whether to luagh at the hilarity of it all, or just cry!

I have lots of memories of Land Army days; fun and hard work haymaking and dung spreading in all weathers, a huge shire horse called Satan, but most of all good friends, sharing our problems, our losses, and our rations! Our weekly wage was poor and unlike the other women's sevices we did not recieve a gratuity payment when the war ended! In 1946 when I was finally demobbed I was proud and honoured though to rceive, from HM Queen Elizabeth, a letter of thanks for my Land Army Service, together with a scarlet arm band with four gold emblazoned service stars.

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