Description:The WLA began during the First World War to help combat food shortages and fill the vacancies left by the men who had entered military service. The women who enrolled had the option of working in agriculture, timber cutting or foraging (animal feeds).
The girls had to cope with the same work originally undertaken by the men; in agriculture this included muck spreading, hoeing, harvesting operating tractors and farm machinery.
The WLA was reorganised in 1938 under the threat of war, and continued to 1950.