Greenford and Northolt Dig for Victory Campaign

1 Jan 1942
Sound
9m

An Ealing councillor fervently implores local cinemagoers to Dig for Victory!

Take up your trowels! During WWII, Britain's food imports were severely restricted and local councils across the country commandeered public and private land for the growing of vegetables and crops. Here, an Ealing councillor implores local residents to take on an allotment to help feed the nation. 'Dig for Victory' was one of the war's most iconic and successful mass publicity campaigns.

By 1942, when this film was made, half the civilian population was participating in the Dig for Victory scheme. As well as filmed lectures like this one, there were newspaper ads, leaflets, live demonstrations and a range of instructional films sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, as referred to by the councillor.

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Dig for Victory

Keeping the nation fed and healthy was the greatest priority of the Home Front. Women replaced absent farm workers, while ordinary Britons were exhorted to 'grow their own'.

'Dig for Victory' was perhaps the most successful official campaign of the Home Front. Britons in their millions picked up their trowels, and acre after acre of parkland, waste ground - even back gardens - was repurposed as makeshift vegetable plots. Just as the factories were constantly increasing their productivity, great efforts were made to increase agricultural yields, while the 'land girls' of the Women's Land Army enthusiastically took the place of farmworkers fighting overseas.