RON Gallivan, Chairman of the Mercian Military History Society, gave this months talk about the World War 2 “Dig for Victory Campaign” and the huge impact it had on British wartime psyche.

Contrary to popular belief, the “Dig for Victory” campaign was not a last minute idea at the outbreak of War in 1939. Following ‘Lessons Learnt’ from WW1, (particularly the U-Boat threat) the British Government secretly resurrected the Ministry of Food in 1935. One of its first moves was to increase Home Grown Food Production. They laid the foundations of the ‘Victory Harvests’ in 1937 in expectation of the coming War and had a ‘Grow More’ campaign ready for introduction when War actually started.

This ‘Grow More’ campaign (Later called ‘Dig for Victory’) was to be a self-help plan that would involve the population; feed their families and eventually win the War. As the ‘Victory Harvests’ increased food production ‘Dig for Victory’ was designed as a fall back plan to avoid starvation during the critical first 18 months of the war.

As it turned out, it was well organised (apart from a couple of glitches!) and allowed many people, who had no other means of doing so, to strike back at Hitler by not starving to death! Members heard how private gardens, allotments, parks, grass verges and even the moat of the Tower of London were utilised to produce a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and livestock such as chickens and even pigs. The campaign was eventually so successful that surplus foods were used for canning or to produce pies. By 1941 the WVS and WI were producing and selling 70,000 pies a week.

The “Dig for Victory” campaign played a large part in creating the incredible British wartime spirit that got us through those dark years. This was an interesting and unusual story in which both the W.V.S. and the W.I. played a crucial role

Next month, Tuesday April 19 at 2.15pm, David Curtis the Artistic Director of the Orchestra of the Swan Theatre, will give his “View from the Podium” at the Civic Centre in Pershore.

JOHN AIREY