Women's Land Army WW2
The Women's Land Army was originally established during the First World War. Following its success, it was re-founded shortly before the Second World War broke out in 1939 to provide extra agricultural labour, ensuring that there would be no food shortages in Britain both during the war and in the years that followed.
By 1943 there were nearly five thousand women contributing to the war effort as part of the Women's Land Army in Wales, working long hours in all kinds of weather. The women came from all walks of life and were based in locations right across Wales, with some posted to work in Wales from across the border.
Some of the women were unfamiliar with agricultural work but everyone played their part working on the land and contributing to food production. They also helped out on the farms with chores such as milking cows, lambing, ploughing, carrying out farm maintenance work and were expected to handle heavy machinery as well as taking on manual labour. Many of the women lived in hostels whilst others lived in the farms where they worked and practical uniforms and shoes/wellingtons were provided for all, although wearing an uniform wasn't compulsory. When the women were dismissed from service they were expected to return most items of clothing issued to them.
This collection brings together photographs and other ephemera relating to the life and work of Land Army Girls in Wales, and also includes some oral history documenting first hand experiences of what it was like to contribute to the war effort.
