Monument to contribution of land girls during WW2

[Lilith7]

This is at Maungati inland from Timaru, & brings the grand total of monuments marking the contribution of women during both world ward to a massive two. The other is the Nurses chapel in CHCH which at one point was under threat of being demolished; the resulting outcry came as an apparent surprise to some -  the plan was dropped & it still stands.


https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/ne...rld-war-ii


A bronze sculpture commemorating the largely unsung women’s heroes of New Zealand’s World War II effort has been unveiled in rural South Canterbury.

The Windhausen Land Girl Monument, at Maungati, has been a community effort with Margriet Windhausen commissioned to do the bronze sculpture, the Aigantighe Art Gallery providing an information panel for the monument, and Renee Kempf, of Timaru Bluestone, donating the rock the sculpture sits on.

Members of the Women’s Land Service (WLS) were New Zealand women dubbed “land girls” who worked the farms while the men were fighting in World War II, and the monument honouring them was unveiled at a ceremony on Saturday afternoon.

One of the driving forces of the project was Fiona, Lady Elworthy, who lived in Maungati, inland from Timaru, for more than 60 years.



She said it was important to recognise the women who “kept the fires burning and the wheels turning” when the men were off fighting during World War II.

She believed it was important to have a public monument to recognise the hard work of thousands of women.

She believes there are bronze bells to recognise the Land Girls’ efforts, but they reside in “isolated wool sheds”.

Almost 4000 women in New Zealand were part of the service, Elworthy said."

[Zurdo]

My mother wasn't one of them, but during WWII with her brothers away, she and her sisters ran the farm with their father. In 1945 she was 18, left and never went back. So there were more girls doing it than those recognised. She didn't get to go to secondary school...she was too busy working.

[Lilith7]

My mother wasn't one of them, but during WWII with her brothers away, she and her sisters ran the farm with their father. In 1945 she was 18, left and never went back. So there were more girls doing it than those recognised. She didn't get to go to secondary school...she was too busy working.

Yes, there were a lot of young women who had to do that, & various other things during WW2. Without their efforts things might have been far more difficult. 
 They're seldom mentioned these days but almost everyone made some kind of effort to help whether those manpowered into factories, those who joined the services or those who were older & joined the Kiwi version of 'Dad's army'.
Once the war was over, women were ushered back into the kitchen fairly swiftly, & their efforts go largely unacknowledged.

[Zurdo]

My parents, their brothers and sisters, and thousands of other young people never got a secondary school education during WWII...they left primary school and at 13 were working for a living. Mum was so proud when we went to high school, something denied to her.

[Lilith7]

It changed the lives of thousands, perhaps millions, of people all over the world.