Pensioner ensures women’s wartime role is honoured
When the many Armed Forces and support contingents march past the Cenotaph in front of the Queen this weekend, two important groups who played a vital role in Britain’s war effort will be missing.
The Women’s Land Army (WLA) and the Women’s Timber Corps (WTC) helped keep Britain supplied with food and ensured there was timber for the mines and aircraft production.
Unfortunately, most of the women who worked in them have now either passed away or are too frail to appear on Sunday, and their associations have been disbanded.
However, pensioner Stuart Olsson, of Southey Way, Larkfield, will ensure they will still be remembered.
Mr Olsson, who was the honorary secretary for the WLA Association for many years and knew many of the veterans personally, is determined that they should not be forgotten.
He has paid for a wreath and arranged for it to be laid on their behalf by the Women’s Volun- tary Army Corps during their march past. He has also contacted the BBC to ensure that its coverage on the day includes mention of the WLA and WTC.
Mr Olsson, 74, said: “Many of those gallant young ladies joined the WLA or WTC at 17 with little or no knowledge of the hard work they would face.
“They kept the country fed and provided the services with timber for the aircraft and ships, and pit props for the coal-mines.”
Some 60,000 women served in the WLA and 20,000 in the WTC.