World War One

This Women’s Land Army recruitment poster by the artist J Walter West, emphasises the work done by the Forage Department of the WLA. Source: Imperial War Museum
This Women’s Land Army recruitment poster by the artist J Walter West, emphasises the work done by the Forage Department of the WLA.
Source: Imperial War Museum

During World War One, 23,000 women were recruited to work full-time on the land in the Women’s Land Army, to help replace men who had left to fight in the war.

This form of national service for young female farm workers was called the Women’s Land Army, despite being a civilian organisation.

The main aim of this civilian organisation was to increase food production during the war.

There were three sections to the Women’s Land Army:-

  1. Agriculture
  2. Forage (haymaking for food for horses)
  3. Timber Cutting

The majority of women worked in agriculture and were milkers and field workers. Some women were carters, ploughwomen (working with horses), and market gardeners.

Please use the navigation bar on the left hand side, and the buttons below, to find out more about the different aspects of the First World War Women’s Land Army.

First World War Women's Land Army Introduction
First World War Women's Land Army Formation
First World War Women's Land Army Training
First World War Land Girls
First World War Women's Land Army Archive
First World War WLA Timeline
First World War Women's Land Army Recruitment
First World War Women's Land Army Uniform
First World War Land Girl Research