land girl 1941

Our local library has various displays over the year featuring books relevant to annual milestones.
The books for Remembrance Day included a recently republished 'Manual for Volunteers in the Women's Land Army. 1941'

The WLA was originally formed in Britain in 1917 when 23,000 young women were enrolled. They worked on farms during a time when there was a need to produce more food from the land as men were leaving the land to fight in the Great War. It was disbanded in 1919.

Reinvigorated in 1941, these drawings are from the manual which is packed with all sorts of amazing information.
There are tables of longevity for seeds, manure mixes and land measures determined by Gunter's Link measuring 66 feet.
There are conditions for employment, the words and music for the Land Army Song and images of girls working the land.
There are comments from farmers and volunteers. The farmers soon won over by the energy and commitment of the 'Land Girls' and the girls fearless through the hard work and delighted by 'the cows...all dears'.

Australia had an Women's Land Army too, formed in 1942 and based on Britain's WLA.
Their uniform was very similar though a fly net would have been a welcome addition perhaps.