Women thanked for war efforts » Central Government » 24dash.com

Prime Minister Gordon Brown today formally thanked the women who kept the country supplied with food and timber during the Second World War but admitted their efforts should have been recognised earlier.

Fifty surviving members of the Women's Land Army (WLA) and the Women's Timber Corps (WTC) received commemorative badges at Downing Street this afternoon.

After thanking each of them individually, Mr Brown said: "We have been slow to thank you. We could have done this years ago but I'm pleased that we can do it now."

He said the women were owed a huge debt of gratitude for their part in the war effort and said he hoped they would treasure the badge and certificate which they received today.

"We hold a lot of events in Downing Street but there's none more special than to thank you," he said.

"I want to thank you for everything you did in all areas of the country.

"We owe you a huge debt of gratitude."

He invited the visitors to look around the Cabinet Room before they left and joked: "Perhaps you'll be able to make some better decisions than we have been making this week."

The women, who represented more than 30,000 so-called Land Girls and Lumber Jills who will receive the badge this year, collected their gift from Environment Secretary Hilary Benn.

He said it was a great pleasure to be the one presenting them with their badges and certificates.

In December last year he announced that women who served with the WLA and WTC could apply for their commemorative badges.

"I just wanted to say we have been literally overwhelmed by the response. Thirty thousand of you applied from all over the country, in fact from all over the world."

He added that the work women did during the war was "a story from our history that must be told again and again".

"It really did make a difference. Without your contribution we wouldn't have been able to get through that dark and difficult time in our history."

Throughout the afternoon Mr Benn showed his appreciation by fetching cups of tea and glasses of water for the ladies and making sure they were enjoying their visit.