Women's Land Army

Women's Land Army

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.

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 25,000 women working as farm labourers.

With 6 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.

econd 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". It also figured largely in a 2004 episode of the BBC mystery series "Foyle's War", entitled "They Fought in the Fields."

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.

Related organizations

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

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. [http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/forms/wla/wla1.htm]

The badge of honour was awarded in July 2008 to over 30,000 former Land Girls.

ee also

*Victory garden
*Rosie the Riveter
*Home Front during World War II
*Air Transport Auxiliary
*WAAF
*"The Land Girls" a 1998 film

External links

* [http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/women's_land_army.htm History site]
* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWlandarmy.htm Spartacus Schoolnet WW2 Land Army]
* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Wland.htm First World War Land Army]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2116478 BBC Information Page]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Women's Land Army — ▪ United States federal organization       U.S. federally established organization that from 1943 to 1947 recruited and trained women to work on farms left untended owing to the labour drain that arose during World War II.       By the summer of… …   Universalium

  • Women's Land Army — noun 1. (in Britain) an organisation, operating during both world wars, of women working in agriculture to make up the shortage of manpower. 2. any of several similar organisations in other countries; the Australian Women s Land Army (AWLA) was… …  

  • Australian Women's Land Army — The Australian Women s Land Army (AWLA) was an organization created in World War II in Australia to combat rising labour shortages in the farming sector. The AWLA was formed on 27 July 1942 and was modelled on Women s Land Army in Great Britain.… …   Wikipedia

  • land-army — landˈ army noun A body of women organized for farm work in wartime • • • Main Entry: ↑land …   Useful english dictionary

  • Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force — (WAAAF) was formed in March 1941 after considerable lobbying by women keen to serve and by the Chief of the Air Staff who wanted to release male personnel serving in Australia for service overseas. The WAAAF was the first and largest of the World …   Wikipedia

  • Women in the workforce — Part of a series on Women in Society …   Wikipedia

  • Women's Royal Australian Naval Service — The Women s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) was a non combat branch of the Royal Australian Navy that recruited women. Like many of its sister services created during the Second World War, it alleviated manpower shortages resulting from… …   Wikipedia

  • land girl — /ˈlænd gɜl/ (say land gerl) noun (in World War II) a member of the Women s Land Army. Usage: See note at girl …  

  • Women in the American Revolution — How it happened The American Revolution happened after Britain placed the Coercive Acts onto the colonies. The Americans responded by forming the Continental Congress and fighting with the British armies. However, the war would not have been able …   Wikipedia

  • Women Airforce Service Pilots — Elizabeth L. Gardner, WASP, at the controls of a B 26 Marauder The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and its predecessor groups the Women s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) and the Women s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) (from September 10 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”