 Hilary Benn, the Secetary of State for Environment, has today announced the Government's decision to award a badge of recognition to female war veterans who worked on the Home Front to
provide food and timber for the nation during the Second World War. The specially designed badge will recognise the tremendous efforts of the Women's Land Army and Women's Timber Corps and
acknowledge the debt that the country owes them.
The Women's Land Army and the Women's Timber Corps, known colloquially as the Land Girls and Lumber Jills, worked on farms to feed the nation and fell timber, as the men went to war. At its
peak in 1943 there were some 80,000 women working on the land, and it was continued after the war, finally being disbanded in 1950.
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. The veterans have
been campaigning for years for recognition, and will be delighted that this decision has finally been made.
How to Apply for the Veteran Badge
Defra has announced today that application forms are now available to anyone who believes they may be eligible for a badge. To obtain an application form, you can:
Applicants will need to provide date of birth, approximate dates of service in the Women's Land Army or Women's Timber Corps and the location in which they were stationed.
We can do it for you!
Another option is that you can provide us with your details of service, and we can send off for the badge for you! We are planning to hold an award ceremony in Summer 2008 when constituents of
Hampstead and Highgate can receive their badge personally from Glenda in an award-ceremony with other veterans in the constituency. This promises to be a really special occasion - details close to
the time. Please contact us for more information of how we can apply for your badge.
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