Surviving members of the Women's Land Army in Tendring are to receive the recognition they deserve with a special ceremony to be staged to honour their achievements.

The Government has commissioned a badge - designed by the Garter King at Arms and bears the Royal Crown.

And Tendring District Council (TDC) is organising an event where the badges will be presented to them personally.

Members of the Women's Land Army & Women's Timber Corps who served during the war are eligible to apply for a badge and will be awarded to surviving members as of December 6, 2007.

The Women's Land Army was formed at the outbreak of the Second World War to work on the land, freeing up male workers to go to war.

By 1943 there were around 80,000 young women working in all aspects of agriculture to ensure the nation was fed.

They worked from dawn to dusk milking cows, digging ditches, sowing seeds and harvesting crops.

The Women's Timber Corps worked in forests to provide timber for the war effort.

The Council now wants to make sure that everyone across the District who should receive this special honour, does so.

It will, if an application is made via TDC, collate all the forms for those who have not received their badge and dispatch the forms to be checked and verified.

The badges will then be sent to the Council to be presented at Clacton Town Hall in November.

Anyone who has already applied and received their badge will also be able to have it presented at the ceremony, should they wish to do so.

TDC Chairman Roy Smith said the Council organised a similar event to hand out Veteran's Badges in August and it was a huge success.

"We were overwhelmed by the response and staged two sessions for almost 300 Veterans and guests," he said.

"Now we are looking to do the same for the surviving members of the Land Army across our District. We want to show them that the Council and the people of Tendring appreciate what they did for this country and it is also an opportunity for them to meet up again."

Anyone who believes they are eligible for a badge - but has not applied themselves - should contact Mrs Janice Stapleton at the Town Hall, Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea, C015 1SE, by October 31, 2008.

Those who have already received a badge but would like to have it presented to them also need to make contact with Mrs Stapleton by that date.