Ruby swaps driving a bakery van for farm work

Ruby Ella List was living at Hill Crest, Tuddenham and driving a bakery van for Bowman's Bakery in Ipswich when she enrolled in the East Suffolk Women's Land Army in December 1941 at the age of twenty. Her WLA number was 29288. She worked in the fields and helped with cattle at Tollgate Farm, Great Blakenham. Farm work clearly suited Ruby as she carried on working in the fields following demob at the end of November 1950. She married Bernard Blowers in June 1947 and the couple enjoyed going to dinner dances with Ruby's land girl pal, Daphne Scarff (nee Hedges) and her husband, Victor. During the war Ruby would have gone to dances at Great Blakenham Village Hall with local girls, Americans and other land girls.

Ruby in working uniform and gumboots

In front of the mill

WLA service card

Ruby holding a calf

Ruby and Bernard on their wedding day

WLA Release Certificate

Recognition for eight and a half years' service

Marriage certificate