Life on earth interview and I was in. I was 16 didn’t know what to do, so I got Mixed reception
“I actually wanted to go into the in January 1941 and I joined the a fork and I was carrying the But, despite the praise the
Wrens [The Women’s Royal Land Army in March that year.” manure in tiny little bits. One of WLA had received after the
Naval Service], but my mum Doris’s experience was typical. the other workers was leaning previous war from politicians
wasn’t keen, so I thought if I Girls as young as 16 and 17 on the gate watching me. He and farmers alike, not to
can’t do that, I’ll go into the were interviewed to see if they stood there, bemused, for about mention the need for labour,
Land Army,” recalls Doris Owen, were suitable, then given a an hour before he stopped me. its reestablishment wasn’t
83. Doris is one of around medical examination and I’ll never forget that, because I universally welcomed. The view
30,000 former Land Girls to be enrolled. It was made felt such a fool! of many who worked the land
awarded their badge of honour intentionally easy for them to “Next I was given the job of was that it was no place for a
earlier this year. Now living with pass, since Britain needed every milking; I’d have to be up at decent woman. Consequently,
her son and daughter-in-law in willing, able-bodied woman it 6am to get the cows in. We had some Land Girls faced anything
Trefonen in Shropshire, she agreed could recruit. Some received two Italian workers to help us, from a lack of respect to neglect
to share her reminiscences with training before they were sent who’d been hired to replace two and even bullying. And given the
Country & Border Life about life to farms; others were trained by Land Girls who’d left. It was tough nature of the work, it’s no
working the land… the farmers themselves. very hard work, but if you’d got surprise a lot of women found
“I applied to Shrewsbury to “I was stationed in Marton a couple of hardworking men their time in the Land Army
a Mrs Preston, the enrolment in Chirbury, just outside with you, then you were all very unpleasant.
officer,” she continues. “I had Welshpool. My first job was right! They were lovely – really “I don’t think the work the
a medical, which I passed, spreading manure on the fields,” nice chaps,” she recalls with a Land Girls did was that valued
collected my uniform, had my Doris recalls, laughing. “But I glint in her eye. at the time,” Doris confirms. trianglert
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