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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Formal award for WWII Land Girls | Formal award for WWII Land Girls |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Women who worked the land during World War II to keep Britain supplied with food and timber can now apply for a badge commemorating their efforts. | Women who worked the land during World War II to keep Britain supplied with food and timber can now apply for a badge commemorating their efforts. |
| The badge is the first official recognition of the contribution made by members of the Women's Land Army (WLA) and the Women's Timber Corps (WTC). | The badge is the first official recognition of the contribution made by members of the Women's Land Army (WLA) and the Women's Timber Corps (WTC). |
| Members of the WLA - also known as the Land Girls - and the WTC have campaigned for recognition for decades. | Members of the WLA - also known as the Land Girls - and the WTC have campaigned for recognition for decades. |
| Ex-Land Girl Hilda Gibson, 83, said the badge was a "powerful gesture". | Ex-Land Girl Hilda Gibson, 83, said the badge was a "powerful gesture". |
| They were men's jobs we took on, they were heavy jobs and hard work Hilda Gibson Former Land Girl Harsh life of a 'lumberjill' | |
| Badges will be awarded to surviving members of the WLA and WTC, but not to spouses or families of deceased members, except where death has occurred after 6 December 2007. | Badges will be awarded to surviving members of the WLA and WTC, but not to spouses or families of deceased members, except where death has occurred after 6 December 2007. |
| That was the date the government made the announcement of the plans for formal recognition. | That was the date the government made the announcement of the plans for formal recognition. |
| Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: "This badge is a fitting way to pay tribute to their determination, courage and spirit in the face of adversity. I hope that as many eligible women as possible will apply for one." | Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: "This badge is a fitting way to pay tribute to their determination, courage and spirit in the face of adversity. I hope that as many eligible women as possible will apply for one." |
| Hard work | Hard work |
| Mrs Gibson, of Huddersfield, worked first in pest control in Lincolnshire and then on a poultry farm in Norfolk, where she had to feed and muck out thousands of birds. | Mrs Gibson, of Huddersfield, worked first in pest control in Lincolnshire and then on a poultry farm in Norfolk, where she had to feed and muck out thousands of birds. |
| "They were men's jobs we took on, they were heavy jobs and hard work. I wanted a job that was important and I felt that it was," she said. | "They were men's jobs we took on, they were heavy jobs and hard work. I wanted a job that was important and I felt that it was," she said. |
| "It's taken a long time coming, but you can't blame that on anybody." | "It's taken a long time coming, but you can't blame that on anybody." |
| The badge was a "powerful and touching gesture to thank us for what we did", she added. | The badge was a "powerful and touching gesture to thank us for what we did", she added. |
| Jean Proctor, a former land army girl and chairwoman of the British Women's Land Army Society, told BBC Radio 5 Live the recognition would mean a lot to Land Girls and their families. | Jean Proctor, a former land army girl and chairwoman of the British Women's Land Army Society, told BBC Radio 5 Live the recognition would mean a lot to Land Girls and their families. |
| "We have campaigned all this time.... we have got recognition in a lot of places ... and now this badge will be absolutely the icing on the cake." | "We have campaigned all this time.... we have got recognition in a lot of places ... and now this badge will be absolutely the icing on the cake." |
| Mary Mower, 79, from Wandsworth, London, was a Land Girl based near Peterborough, in Cambridgeshire, and spent time pruning apple trees and doing other agricultural work such as hoeing. | Mary Mower, 79, from Wandsworth, London, was a Land Girl based near Peterborough, in Cambridgeshire, and spent time pruning apple trees and doing other agricultural work such as hoeing. |
| "The fellows were away on the ships, or fighting or flying and our work was one of those things that did help," she said. | "The fellows were away on the ships, or fighting or flying and our work was one of those things that did help," she said. |
| Mrs Mower said she thought the badge was "a very nice thought" that would be welcomed by the surviving women who had been in the WLA and the WTC. | Mrs Mower said she thought the badge was "a very nice thought" that would be welcomed by the surviving women who had been in the WLA and the WTC. |
| Poor conditions | Poor conditions |
| "The thought that they are being appreciated will make a lot of difference," she said. | "The thought that they are being appreciated will make a lot of difference," she said. |
| The WLA had 80,000 members in 1943 and existed until 1950 | The WLA had 80,000 members in 1943 and existed until 1950 |
| Land Girls helped run farms and feed the nation on the Home Front while men were fighting in the war. | Land Girls helped run farms and feed the nation on the Home Front while men were fighting in the war. |
| They undertook work - including milking, harvesting, lambing and ploughing - which was often hard, with long hours, poor conditions and low pay. | They undertook work - including milking, harvesting, lambing and ploughing - which was often hard, with long hours, poor conditions and low pay. |
| There was a strong sense of patriotism and camaraderie. | There was a strong sense of patriotism and camaraderie. |
| "I enjoyed my time there and the amount of friends I made was very good," said Mrs Mower. | "I enjoyed my time there and the amount of friends I made was very good," said Mrs Mower. |
| At its peak in 1943, there were 80,000 members of the WLA and the organisation remained in existence until 1950. | At its peak in 1943, there were 80,000 members of the WLA and the organisation remained in existence until 1950. |
| The 6,000 women in the WTC - nicknamed the Lumberjills - felled trees and ran sawmills to provide timber for the war effort. | The 6,000 women in the WTC - nicknamed the Lumberjills - felled trees and ran sawmills to provide timber for the war effort. |
| Former members of the WLA and WTC can apply for a badge through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). | Former members of the WLA and WTC can apply for a badge through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). |
| Applications forms can be obtained via the Defra website or by calling 08459 335577. | Applications forms can be obtained via the Defra website or by calling 08459 335577. |