Over 90 ladies who served in the Women’s Land Army and Timber Corps are gathering for a special reception on the Isle of Wight to commemorate their service during World War II.

The reception is being hosted by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant, Major General Martin White CB CBE JP and Chairman of the Isle of Wight Council, Cllr Arthur Taylor at the Riverside Centre in Newport on Monday 15th December 2008.

The Women’s Land Army and the Timber Corps were formed during World War II to free up male workers to enable them to go to war. Thousands of young women took to the land to feed the nation working enormously hard to milk cows, sow seeds, dig ditches, harvest crops and manage the forests to provide essential timber for the war effort.

Even after the war was over, the women continued to work carrying out vital jobs until the Woman’s Land Army was formally disbanded in 1950.

The ladies will be treated to afternoon tea and music from the war time era as they get together to share their stories of serving in the Land Army and Timber Corps.

Chairman of the Isle of Wight Council, Councillor Arthur Taylor said:

“We are delighted to be hosting this event on the Island to formally recognise the hard work and commitment shown by these ladies during the war. They kept the nation going by providing food and fuel and it is important that we acknowledge the debt that the country owes to them.”