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'Land Girl' Dorothy Buckby from Wing in Rutland celebrates her 100th birthday




A former Land Girl who evaded Spanish flu and Second World War bullets has celebrated her 100th birthday in unusual style.

Unable to continue with plans for a party because of the coronavirus lockdown, neighbours knocked on the door of Dorothy Buckby’s home before retreating to a safely spaced distance and singing her a spirited rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’.

“My lovely neighbours were outside with flowers and a ‘Land Army’ cake,” said Dorothy, who has lived in the village of Wing in Rutland throughout her life.

Dorothy Buckby with her card from The Queen
Dorothy Buckby with her card from The Queen

“They are so kind, especially Jane [Alexander-Orr], and they were conducted in their singing by David Hill who lives nearby and was a choral conductor for the BBC Singers.”

Jane, who earlier this year recorded a video of Dorothy’s memories of life in and around Wing, said although a planned party for her centenarian neighbour wouldn’t take place until coronavirus was over, Dorothy was taking the ‘lockdown’ in her stride.

“She’s such a stoic and unbelievably independent, so to her coronavirus is ‘just one of these things’,” said
Jane.

A cake featuring a wartime ‘land girl’ that neighbours presented to Dorothy
A cake featuring a wartime ‘land girl’ that neighbours presented to Dorothy

“Even last week on her birthday she was saying ‘I’m going to Oakham if there are any buses’ and we had to persuade her it wasn’t a good idea!

“She has a reasonable-sized garden to get out in, and can still bend to do the digging and sweeping up.

“She really is quite amazing and resilient.”

Dorothy was born on March 25, 1920 in a cottage behind The Cuckoo, a former pub in Top Street.

As a girl, she was in the guides and, through one of the youth movement’s camping trips to Norfolk, was lucky enough get a close-up look at King George V and his wife, Queen Mary, when they attended church at Sandringham.

Dorothy Buckby on her 100th birthday. Neighbours were spaced safely apart to sing ‘Happy Birthday’
Dorothy Buckby on her 100th birthday. Neighbours were spaced safely apart to sing ‘Happy Birthday’

She also saw Queen Elizabeth on her visit to Uppingham in 1984, and was thrilled to receive a 100th birthday card signed by her.

Having left Wing School at 14, Dorothy went into service, which she admits she ‘hated’, much preferring to be outdoors.

Fortunately, through the guides she was recruited into the Women’s Land Army just before the start of the Second World War, and has very fond memories of her postings, first to Major O’Brien’s garden in Tixover, and then Whattoff’s Farm in Ketton.

“It was an arable farm, mainly, although there were a few animals,” said
Dorothy.

“I was tasked with hoeing, harvesting and cleaning out and looking after the
hens.

“When I went to feed them there was one cockerel that used to come for me and I had to hold it back with the bucket. It would run straight into it, every time!

“I enjoyed those days. Being in the Land Army was the happiest time of my life.”

Not all of her wartime memories at Tixover were happy ones, and Dorothy recalled one particular day when she had a lucky escape.

“It was pouring with rain all day so I was in the barn sawing some wood up. It was about 2 o’clock in the afternoon and we heard a ‘rat-tat-tat’ on the roof and it was a German plane machine-gunning.

“If I’d been in the garden, he’d have caught me!”

On another occasion, an American Lockheed Lightning - which Dorothy remembers vividly - crashed only a short distance away and when she ran over the fields to see if the pilot had survived, Dorothy found him standing next to the plane, calmly smoking a cigarette.

After the war, Dorothy worked in the Berketex factory in Oakham making dresses, and then as a machine-operator making belts at Arnold Wills in Uppingham, where she spent 32 years.

She never married, but was an energetic member of the village methodist chapel, playing the organ, being a soloist, occasionally preaching, and being a steward.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, Dorothy still attended Uppingham Methodist Chapel regularly, and travelled to shop in Oakham twice a week.

“I’ve never left Wing because it’s a lovely place to live,” said Dorothy, who admitted she ‘didn’t feel any different’ for turning
100.

“It’s nice and quiet and it’s such a friendly place.

“Were it not for my neighbours coming to see me I would have just had a quiet day on my 100th birthday, and I do hope we can have a party when we’re allowed to get together properly again.”

Fortunately for Dorothy, this is exactly what her neighbours have planned.

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