POSTER: Join the Women's Land Army

D83/2

[1940s]

Women's Land Army (Great Britain), Great Britain. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

For a healthy happy job

1 poster

dimensions: 49 x 72cm

English

file

War, Women's Land Army- WWII, Graphic Materials

<DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>3. &lt;B&gt;World War 2 WLA recruitment poster&lt;/B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Posters encouraging women to join the Land Army sported healthy young girls set against an idyllic countryside. One instructor at Hampshire Farming Institute at Sparsholt bemoaned this romanticised view, for reality was far from this image. The minimum age for recruits was 18, unlike previously in WW1 when, women of all ages, particularly the very young were employed. Volunteers came from every kind of background, from village and city, from elementary education to university standard. One third of the WLA recruits came from the cities and industrial towns. In England and Wales, the WLA was mobilised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries prior to the war starting. By the outbreak of war 17,000 women were enrolled. With conscription in 1941 there was a deficit of 50,000 land workers. The WLA played a crucial role in filling this gap and maintaining an effective and efficient strategy in land and food management. The number reached its peak in 1943 with 76,214 recruits. The Scottish Land Army was run on exactly the same lines as in England, but was controlled by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland. The number of volunteers was approximately 8000 in 1943. Most importantly the recruits had to sign an undertaking stating their willingness to work anywhere in the country. This was not always taken seriously and those who refused to leave home were discharged.&lt;P&gt;D83/2</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV><DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>3. &lt;B&gt;World War 2 WLA recruitment poster&lt;/B&gt;&lt;P&gt;Posters encouraging women to join the Land Army sported healthy young girls set against an idyllic countryside. One instructor at Hampshire Farming Institute at Sparsholt bemoaned this romanticised view for reality was far from this image.&lt;P&gt;D83/2</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>

Available

RHC negative NCC35/30919 RHC slide 4197, colour