Land Army Vermin Destruction Squad

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Guy Hudson, Jul 27, 2021.

  1. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Screenshot 2021-07-27 at 20.24.27.png
    Meet Rita, the veteran rat catcher.
    She's a 21 year old Liverpool girl, Miss Rita Gough of Mossley Hill. For three years she has served in the Land Army Vermin Destruction Squad in Shropshire. Before taking up this job Rita was employed as a typist-telephonist with a Liverpool firm of paint manufacturers.
    Since she voluntereered for the Land Army she has successfully waged war against the rats. She recently "scored her century."

    Liverpool Evening Express 19th November 1945
     
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  2. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

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  3. Wg Cdr Luddite

    Wg Cdr Luddite Well-Known Member

    Vital war work !
     
  4. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    There's a selection of IWM's...

    ARREST THAT RAT: THE WORK OF THE WOMEN'S LAND ARMY RAT CATCHERS, SUSSEX, 1942


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    Rumbold, Margaret Mary (Oral history)
    DESCRIPTION
    British land girl with Women's Land Army in GB, 1939-1949
    Content description
    REEL 1 Background in GB, 1921-1939: employment as domestic servant in boarding house in Folkestone; working hours and pay; family; early employment; lack of travel prior to outbreak of Second World War; memories of outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Recollections of enlistment and training with Women's Land Army in GB, 1939-1940: applying to join Women's Land Army; attitude to prospect of farm work; move to Wye College; age range of fellow recruits; initial experience of milking. REEL 2 Continues: training with shire horses and carts; training with shepherd; character of training received; how recruits managed with training. Recollections of period as land girl with Women's Land Army in GB, 1940-1949: opinion of Women's Land Army officials in East Kent area; meeting employer on arrival at first farm; interval between finishing college and first job; uniform; making alterations to uniform. REEL 3 Continues: physical nature of work and pay; obtaining first job; opinion of first employer; description of farm; living conditions; degree of fitness; carrying truss of hay; daily routine; relations with farm workers; attending thatching course near Sittingbourne; employment as under cowman on farm; farm duties; working with bull; question of accidents on farm; effects of injury to arm. REEL 4 Continues: rat catching on farm; use of pesticides; story of throwing man out of milk shed; milk ration; pay; working hours; social activities and attitude towards work; leave; need to walk; degree of contact with Women's Land Army organisation; complaints system; leave spent in cottage; raising money for Women's Land Army Benevolent Fund; impact of war on mother; sight of Supermarine Spitfire crashing and attempts to save pilot; German air activity in East Kent area; issue of tin helmets; attitude towards German air activity. REEL 5 Continues: story of German incendiary attack; question of village community sprit; reasons for leaving Women's Land Army; taking proficiency test and service badges; attitude towards period with Women's Land Army.
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2021
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