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When World War II began in 1939, young men and women at the age of 17 were called into the armed forces. Miners and farm workers were exempt from the call up, although this group did volunteer. An alternative to the Forces was to work in a munitions factory. I chose to join ‘The Women’s Land Army’.

This army of young women valiantly took the place of absent men from farms, horticulture and forestry; they came from all walks of life.

I was sent to work on a farm in Nottinghamshire along with two other land girls. The hours were long and arduous, beginning at 6am, tumbling out of bed at 5.30am, in the winter shivering with cold.

After gulping down a cup of hot tea, we were given our allocated tasks for the day. Calling in the cows for milking was usually the first job, traipsing over hills and through muck and sludge, often in pouring rain, fog and thunder and lightening. When milking was over, we ate a hearty breakfast of porridge, bacon and eggs prepared by the farmer’s wife.

After breakfast, the dairy work was done, the cow sheds, stables and pigsties were cleaned out and the pigs, poultry and calves fed. According to the season, muck was spread, thistles were cleared, hay was harvested and new crops were planted.

So busy were the days, time just fled by. I had always plenty to write about to my fiancé serving in the RAF. Habits from those days have stuck; whilst out delivering milk, I would pick up the daily newspapers from the village shop for the farmer and nearby cottages. I took the liberty of reading the Daily Mail in a quiet spot, and needless to say, have bought the that newspaper ever since. I also learnt how to drive, which proved very useful in the years to come.

All the ladies of the W.L.A made a wonderful contribution to the war effort and helped to bring an end to World War II. On release from the W.L.A, all members received a personal message from Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother) expressing her appreciation for the service given to the country.

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