Nearly 100 former Land Girls and Lumber Jills have attended a
special event hosted by The Queen to celebrate their
achievements.
The members of the Women's Land Army and Timber Corps enjoyed a
lunch at the Royal Opera House
hosted by DEFRA secretary
Hilary Benn, before
visiting Buckingham Palace for tea with
The Queen.
"I'm delighted to welcome the Land Girls and Lumber Jills to
London as representatives of the thousands of women who provided
food and timber for the nation during World War I and II," said
DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn.
"Over 34,000 members of the Women's Land Army and Timber Corps
have now received a commemorative badge which recognises their
service and acknowledges the debt that we owe them. This is a
fitting tribute to their great efforts when our country was at
war."
One of those who was pleased to attend was ex-Land Army girl
Dorothy Etherington from Trimdon. She made the journey from Co
Durham to the capital accompanied by her daughter-in-law Marie.
Events have also been held around the country over the last year
to celebrate the work of the Women's Land Army and Timber Corps,
ranging from church and cathedral services to afternoon tea and
have been organised by local councils and The Queen's
representatives (Lord Lieutenants) in each region.
Did you know
- The Women's
Land Army and Timber Corps (also known as the Land Girls and
Lumber Jills) worked on farms and timber mills to feed the nation
and provide timber as the male workers went to war.
- At its peak in 1943 there were 80,000 women working on the
land, and 4,000 women in the Timber Corps. The Land Army was
continued after the war, finally being disbanded in 1950.
- Land Girls wore uniforms of green ties and jumpers and brown
felt slouch hats and worked from dawn to dusk each day, milking
cows, digging ditches, sowing seeds and harvesting crops and
providing timber. They supplied the nation with food, supporting
the war effort and avoiding food shortages. - The Women's Timber Corps was part of the Women's Land Army and
played a vital role in providing timber for essential industries,
such as mining and aircraft manufacture.
- Commemorative badges were presented to 50 women by the Prime
Minister at No 10 in 2008, with the remaining women sent their
badges and certificates by post.