Gwen lands an honour at last

Gwendoline Hyde receives her Land Army badge and certificate, signed by the Prime Minister, from the Mayor, Councillor Shoab Akhtar

STERLING work felling trees in wartime has earned a Shaw woman a special badge — more than 60 years late.

Gwendoline Hyde was one of the forgotten army of Land Army girls — her particular speciality was felling trees in the woods for the war effort.

But the work she did in the Timber Corps during the Second World War, and that of scores of others, went largely unnoticed until now.

Badges for those members of the agricultural team keeping Britain going through thick and thin are now being presented.

Mrs Hyde (84) was presented with her badge — and a certificate signed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown — by the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor Shoab Akhtar.

London-born Mrs Hyde, whose son, Tony, watched the presentation at the Civic Centre, said: “I was thrilled when I heard I was to get a badge. I think it is time that the work we did during the war was recognised.”

Mrs Hyde, who now lives in Briar House, Glebe Street, Shaw, was in the Land Army for nearly four years. She said she adored it and loved the freedom of being out in the fresh air.

She was based at Brandon in the Suffolk countryside, and it was there that she met her husband to be, Arthur, a regimental sergeant major.

The couple moved north after the war.