Women's Land Army

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The Women's Land Army (WLA) was a British civilian organization created during the First and Second World Wars to work in agriculture replacing men called up to the military. Women who worked for the WLA were commonly known as Land Girls.

In effect the Land Army operated to place women with farms that needed workers, the farmers being their employers.

1 First World War
2 Second World War
3 Influence
4 Related organizations
5 Recognition
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] First World War

The Board of Agriculture organised the Land Army during the Great War, starting activities in 1915. Towards the end of 1917 there were over 260,000 women working as farm labourers.

With 5 million men away to fight in the First World War Britain was struggling for labour. The government wanted women to get more involved in the production of food and do their part to support the war effort. This was the beginning of the Women’s Land Army. Many traditional farmers were against this so the board of trade sent agricultural organizers to speak with farmers to encourage them to accept women’s work on the farms. This was a successful campaign and by 1917 there were around 260,000 women working as farm laborers.

[edit] Second World War

In the Second World War, though under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, it was given an honorary head - Lady Denman. At first it asked for volunteers. This was supplemented by conscription, so that by 1944 it had over 80,000 members. The WLA lasted until its official disbandment on October 21, 1950.

The Women's Land Army was the subject of the film The Land Girls, and also of the 1970s ITV sitcom Backs to the Land.

[edit] Influence

During World War II a Women's Land Army was also formed in the United States, lasting from 1943 to 1947, and the Australian Women's Land Army was formed in Australia, lasting from July 27, 1942 until 1945.

[edit] Related organizations

The Women's Timber Corps worked in the forestry industry. Its members were colloquially known as "Lumber Jills".

[edit] Recognition

In December 2007, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced that the efforts of the surviving members of the Women's Land Army and the Women's Timber Corps would be formally recognized with the presentation of a specially designed commemorative badge.[1]