207539 Joan "Tish-Teddy" Poole Womens Land Army from:Birmingham I was 17 and just right for the draft into one of the services so I volunteered for the W.R.N.S. But not being tall enough, I decided on the Womens Land Army. I served for a little over 3 years, from April 1942 to June 1945. My first job was Near Kidderminster. I hoed potatoes, planted potatoes, harvested crops etc. We dipped sheep and chased them a lot.
Threshing time, I was on the back of the rig when one of the farm boys snuck up behind me and dropped a nest of naked baby mice down my overalls. I jumped up and down to shake them out then the barn cats made short work of them. I was then sent to a dairy farm near Worcester. Got to be a good milk maid too then requested to transfer to a farm in Quinton near B'ham. I biked about 5 miles to and from the farm where I cleaned out cows, pigs, chickens, horses etc. There was always something to shovel. Also I had a daily milk round with horse and trap. I had to bottle all the milk by hand and put the tops on. Then deliver the milk. I washed a lot of empty bottles. I had a horse tear the back out of my leather jacket, while I was in it. I was not pleased. I had a lot of fun though and I wouldn't have missed it for anything. I got married to a Yank and came to America in 1946 and I am still going strong.
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