129256 Eileen Welply-Baldwin Women's Land Army from:Trent Vale, Stoke on Trent I was a land-girl based in Welshpool, Wales. Most of us lived on the farms where we took on all kinds of tasks, including hoeing, ploughing, turning hay, lifting potatoes, threshing, lambing and looking after poultry.
Originally from Stoke-on-Trent, I joined the Women's Land Army in 1942 at the age of 17. I picked up potatoes and put them in sacks, I used to milk cows twice a day, and we had no machines to help us either and I used to drive the tractor, do ploughing, spread muck, and help farmers with the harvest.
I used to have bread and butter with jam every day for lunch. One of my fondest memories is winning a bet with a friend to ride a pig through the village square. I was bet half a crown, which today would be worth about £1, that I could not stay on a pig's back in the main square for 10 minutes.
I am very pleased to have received the badge of honour and even more pleased to be attending the Cenotaph parade on 12th October.
|