Land Army Girl

The Women’s Land Army (WLA), colloquially known as the Land Girls, was formed at the outbreak of World War II to work on the land, freeing the male workers to go to war. By 1943 there were some 80,000 young women working in every aspect of agriculture to feed the nation. With their uniform of green ties and jumpers and brown felt slouch hats, they worked from dawn to dusk each day, milking cows, digging ditches, sowing seeds and harvesting crops. My Mum, Irene (Penny) Pannett, was one of these Land Girls.

The WLA was formally disbanded in 1950. After a long campaign by the Women’s Land Army and Women’s Timber Corps, the Government announced in December that their wartime efforts would be recognised with the presentation of a special badge commemorating their service that can be worn on Remembrance Sunday and at other ceremonies.




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