fLORENCE jOYCE HONOURED.

Story taken from the Eastern Evening News 8th October 2008.

 

 

Women who served a vital role in keeping the nation in food during the second world war have been honoured with an award.

When the men went off to fight for the country it was the women who came to the rescue by tirelessly working the fields.

The Women's Land Army saw thousands of women volunteer to take up the men's roles and work on farms around the country.

A special commemorative lunch on Wednesday saw three surviving land girls presented with an award to acknowledge their hard work.

Flo Joyce, pictured on the right of the above photograph, signed up to be a land girl in 1939 and served for four years at a farm in Hellesdon. She looks back on her time milking cows, ploughing and spreading manure with mixed memories.

The 89-year-old, who lives in Aylsham Road, said: “I do remember we had lots of fun, we didn't make it miserable.

“I remember one of the horses - Black Beauty we called her - knew the ploughing route better than me, she would race me round fast.

“It was hard sometimes though - I remember cutting the clew in winter with the snow and sleet everywhere, I hardened up to it though.

“Of course when I first went they gave us the jobs they didn't want - I think some of the farm hands really had a laugh with us. The first cow they gave me to milk had boils all over, they gave us awful jobs. The farmers were pleased with us but the farm hands didn't want us around.

“I'm pleased with my badge today but I think they would have been good to recognise us a bit sooner. Anyway I am proud of it.”

Irlene Matin, 87, joined up when she was 20 and served for two years on the estate of Holkham Hall. The hall's Lady Leicester took a special interest in the welfare of the girls, and the commemorative badges were presented by her daughter Lady Glenconner.

Mrs Matin, who lives in the city, said: “Today has been very nice, it's just lovely. I remember they called me up during the war and I volunteered to be a land girl.

“It was lovely pleasant work, we were young and we used to go dancing - it was a great life. Today is just too much, it's so exciting for me.

“I met my husband at a dance in Norwich when I was a land girl, he was a Czech pilot. We were married 62 years and had the happiest life.”

The third Land Army Girl to be honoured at the 50-seater dinner at St Luke's Church, on Aylsham Road, was Betty Adams. The lunch was part of the centre's weekly old person's Luncheon Club.

Lady Glenconner said: “I am thrilled and I feel very honoured. The land girls played such a large part in our lives during the war. I can remember the land girls from when I was a girl and I was always very jealous of them because they had such nice uniforms. I am delighted to be giving them their awards.”