War efforts of women who toiled land finally honoured by the city

THEY toiled on the land from dawn to dusk to help keep the nation fed during the dark days of the Second World War.

And in so doing, the Women's Land Army etched a fond place in history and in the hearts of a grateful British nation.

Their exploits digging for victory by getting in the crops, ploughing the land mainly with horses and gathering the harvest was even made into blockbuster film The Land Girls in 1998.

The film, much of it shot locally, starred Catherine McCormack as plucky Stella and Rachel Weisz as Ag.

Now, more than 60 years after the female contingents of farm workers filled the void left by chaps called up to fight, they have been recognised.

Exeter Lord Mayor Paul Smith rolled out the red carpet to honour 57 former land girls with a tea at the Guildhall yesterday.

Each was presented with an inscribed certificate as the city became the first to acknowledge the part they played.

Despite advancing years, their memories remained as sharp as ever.

Beatrice Pyle, 94, from Yelverton, was the oldest. She spent eight years as a land girl and admitted it was an easy job because she was farm-bred.

"While we were growing food for the people of Britain, we went hungry ourselves," she said.

Oil lamps lighting their way to bed, shivering cold in dark winters and the ever-present farmyard mud to contend with were just a few of the grim realities of the time, they recalled.

For Evelyn Simmons, 82, from Rydon Park, Exeter, her time was spent catching rats.

"I was the official rat catcher and would travel from farm to farm in East and Mid Devon in a van, putting down poison and returning to pick up dead vermin," she said.

"As a land girl you were not afraid of doing any job. And if you were scared, it soon disappeared."

Some land girls found love while working the land and went on to marry farmers' sons.

One was Audrey Shaw, 83, from Cowick Street. She said: "My husband Cyril was the youngest of 13. We fell in love and got married in Exmouth."

Barbara Cork, 85, worked on farms at Sidmouth and Otterton and was the daughter of well-known Exeter doctors Richard and May Foulkes.

"It was dad who told me to join the Land Army," she said. "I learnt all the farming skills so well that my husband and I went on to run several farms in this area after the war."

Peggy Suter, 90, from Pennsylvania, spent four years in North Devon. "I was what was called a gang leader and drove a truck to pick up girls and drop them off at farms. We had an enjoyable war," she said.

Reunion organiser Janet Henderson prided Exeter in becoming the first to acknowledge the parts they played by presenting each with an inscribed certificate from the city.

"Before this, all they received was a badge from the Prime Minister, but we have gone one better," she said.

"Before today they had no name on a certificate to acknowledge the contribution they made. Now, other cities are following our lead.

"It's the least we can do to remember what they achieved."