A new commemorative plaque celebrating the vital wartime contributions of the Women's Land Army has been unveiled in London to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
The plaque, installed at Defra's HQ on Marsham Street, pays tribute to more than 100,000 women who served during the Second World War to keep Britain’s farms productive.
It also hails the contributions of the Women's Timber Corps, known as the "Lumber Jills," who felled trees, produced timber for pit props, and created vital military supplies.
Unveiling the plaque, Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner praised the “dedication and resilience” of the women who stepped up to support the country during one of its darkest periods.
“These women stepped up when the country needed them most, working the land to keep Britain’s food and timber supplies,” he said.
The Women's Land Army, active from 1939 to 1950, saw women take on vital agricultural roles, including pest control, thatching and ditch digging.
Despite their efforts, the women were not granted military status or medals after the war.
Recognition only came decades later, following a successful campaign that led to the commemorative medal scheme in 2007.
Over 29,000 applications were received from across the UK and the wider Commonwealth.
The new plaque offers a permanent reminder of the women’s contribution. Clare Whittaker, whose grandmother served in the Women’s Land Army, said: "I’m so pleased her role and the role of women like her is being remembered.
“She left everything she knew to live on a farm and do a job she’d never done before."
Dr Cherish Watton-Holbrook, a historian of the Women’s Land Army, said the plaque acknowledged the “vital contributions” of the Land Girls who served through all weathers to sustain Britain’s wartime supplies.
