Surviving members of the Women's Land Army and Women's Timber Corps are to have their contribution to the war effort recognised - finally. Fifty former 'Land Girls' and 'Lumber Jills' will be awarded badges of honour in a ceremony at Downing Street attended by Gordon Brown (that's our Prime Minister; I know, I forget he exists too).
More than 30,000 applications for badges have been received and more events are planned to mark the immense agricultural support offered by the women. I nearly wrote lumber support but that sounds alarmingly like punnery...
War has, historically, had a positive effect on women's equality and suffrage as we all know (whilst at the same time turning women into bargaining chips and victims of abuse). It's not just about making the male half of the population see how capable women can be, but making women who might have been raised in a sheltered environment understand it for themselves.
By providing timber for the war effort and ensuring that adequate food was produced to support both the army and civilians, the Land Girls and Lumber Jills earned the respect and support of a nation. To put it simply, women today owe them a great deal, and the gesture - 60-something years after the fact - is well-deserved, if far too late.
Still, at least it's less mawkish then that dreadful Anna Friel vehicle, Land Girls. Yech.
[via BBC News]
Alexandra Roumbas is a writer and editor living in London.
