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Photograph of group of Land Army women (Catalogue reference: MAF 59/146)

This is a brief guide to researching records of the Women's Land Army. The original service records of the Women's Land Army have not survived. The National Archives has microfiche copies of alphabetical index cards from 1939 to 1945 that contain some basic information about the women's service.

  • What do I need to know before I start?

    • Try to find out:

      • their maiden name, if the woman subsequently married

  • What records can I see online?

    • There are no online records at The National Archives relating to the Women's Land Army.

  • What records can I find in other archives and organisations?

    • Original alphabetical index cards (1939-1950)

      Contact the Imperial War Museum for a photocopy of an index card. The originals are not available for the public to view. They require the full name, date of birth, the address at the time of service, and the location of service if possible.

    • Oral history recordings

      Listen to some oral history recordings by members of the Women's Land Army on the Imperial War Museum website.

    • Records held locally

      Search the Access to Archives (A2A) and National Register of Archives (NRA) databases to find records held in local archives.

  • What other resources will help me find information?

    • Books

      Read They Fought in the Fields: The Women's Land Army - The Story of a Forgotten Army by Nicola Tyrer (Mandarin, 1997).

  • The National Archives is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Related guides

Did you know?

The Women's Land Army was set up in June 1939 to help increase the amount of food grown within Britain.

At its peak in 1943 over 80,000 women from all backgrounds, the big cities as well as the countryside, were 'land girls'.

Many served until the Women's Land Army was disbanded in 1950.

Surviving members of the Women's Land Army (or spouses or families of members who died after 6 December 2007) can apply for a commemorative badge from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs acknowledging the debt that the country owes them.

The index cards for Scotland are held by the National Archives of Scotland.

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