Land Girls, location unknown, possibly Royal Visit to Burwell.(Cambridgeshire Collection)

Women’s Land Army in Cambridgeshire

The Women's Land Army brought women to Cambridgeshire’s farms during the Second World War, where they helped replace male labour and keep food production going. Known as “Land Girls,” they became a vi

The Women’s Land Army played a vital role in sustaining agriculture in Cambridgeshire during the Second World War. With many male farm workers serving in the armed forces, women were recruited in large numbers to work the land, ensuring that food production continued at a time of national shortage. Often known as “Land Girls,” they became a familiar sight across the county’s fields and farms.

Established nationally in 1939, the Women’s Land Army brought women from towns and cities into rural areas like the Cambridgeshire fens. Here they undertook demanding physical labour—ploughing, planting, harvesting, milking, and maintaining machinery—tasks traditionally carried out by men. In fenland districts such as Haddenham, Isleham, and Whittlesey, their work was especially important in supporting intensive arable farming.

Life in the Land Army could be challenging. Many women lived in hostels or were billeted on farms, adapting to unfamiliar surroundings and long working hours in all weather. Pay was modest, and conditions could be basic, but the experience also offered independence, new skills, and a strong sense of camaraderie. Oral histories often recall both the سخت work and the friendships formed, as well as the contrast between urban backgrounds and rural life.

In Cambridgeshire, Land Girls contributed directly to the wartime “Dig for Victory” campaign, helping to maximise food production and reduce reliance on imports threatened by enemy action. Their presence reshaped rural communities, just as evacuees and other wartime arrivals did, bringing new energy and perspectives to village life.

Today, the contribution of the Women’s Land Army is remembered as a key part of Cambridgeshire’s wartime history. Their work not only supported the war effort but also challenged traditional roles for women, leaving a lasting legacy in both agriculture and social change.