(Copyright Coxhoe Local History Group)
Renee recall life with the Land Army during WW2
Aged residents of the community recall four ladies from Coxhoe who were in the Women’s Land Army in World War 2. One of the four was Renee Curry, now aged 80 living at 49, Landsdowne Road who spent virtually all of her working life working on a farm.
Renee had tuberculosis as a child and was advised to take an outdoor job. She was trained for the Working Land Army at Staindrop.
While most of the men were involved in active service some of the women worked on farms to help feed the nation. Renee says “If it hadn’t been for us we’d have had nothing to eat”.
Renee recalls assisting the farmer she worked for to dig an air raid shelter in one of the farm hedgerows. The first tractor she drove was a 1940 “Fordson Model ‘N’ shown on the picture.
For her war effort Renee was gifted an extra 20 coupons per year to purchase clothing, boots and Wellingtons.
She remembers German and Italian prisoners of war working on the farm with her.
Renee worked on the same farm until she was 64 years old. Her contribution to the war effort was perhaps untypical but essential for the nation’s survival.
Coxhoe Local History Group 