Sheila Jones, of Carnforth Heritage Group, recalls a local heroine from World War One . . .

The Women’s Land Army of World War I is now beyond living memory, but fortunately we can conjure up some of the atmosphere of the time with documents carefully kept by the daughter of one of the heroines of that movement.

Miss Jean Battersby, of King Street, Carnforth, had a farming background. She began her training on Storey’s farm at Bailrigg, Lancaster, in May 1917.

Newspaper reports of that period state: ‘Among the many women who valiantly took up the work of men in Carnforth’ she was the only one who ‘followed the land’.

In February, 1918 she went to Warrington to sit ‘efficiency tests’. She had to leave Carnforth the day beforehand and was lodged privately, free of charge, and also given passes for transport and food during the day.

There were strict rules as to uniform and those doing the gardening test had to bring their own spade!

Miss Battersby did the cowman’s, the general labourer’s, and the threshing tests, scoring between 80 per cent and 100 per cent in each sub-task.

However, Miss Battersby rose above the call of duty, and ‘while serving as a land girl, was awarded the cross for valour, the highest recognition given to women, equivalent to the VC for men’. We believe she was the only woman in the North West to have been so honoured.

Her act of bravery occurred at the Gas Works yard in Carnforth, where a young horse overturned its cart and bolted.

‘At the risk of her own life she succeeded in stopping the animal,’ state reports from the time.

She was presented with the award by Princess Mary at a reception at Drapers Hall, London, on November 27, 1919.

Again, the letter from the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries has been carefully preserved with its details of provisions for the journey to be undertaken, that her leggings and boots should be ‘nicely polished’, and even suggestions as to what should go in her night bag!

After the presentations there was supper, and a concert including morris dancing, songs and recitations.

It is a delight both to know that we have a local heroine and that care has been taken to preserve so much relevant material.