Bevin Boys
[4] Unlike those who had served in the military, Bevin Boys were not awarded medals for their contribution to the war effort and official recognition by the British government was only conferred in 1995.
[4] At the start of WWII, the UK was highly dependent on coal to power ships and trains, and as the main source of energy for electricity generation.
[5] Although output from mines had increased as the world economy recovered from the Great Depression, it was in decline again by the time war broke out in September 1939.
[8] In response, the government increased the minimum weekly pay to 83 shillings (for those over the age of 21 working underground)[8] and established a new Ministry of Fuel, Light and Power, under the leadership of Gwilym Lloyd George to oversee the reorganisation of coal production for the war effort.
[citation needed] On 23 June 1941, Bevin made a broadcast appeal to former miners, asking them to volunteer to return to the pits, with an aim of increasing numbers of mineworkers by 50,000.
[16] On 12 November 1943, Bevin made a radio broadcast aimed at sixth-form boys, to encourage them to volunteer to work in the mines when they registered for National Service.
[citation needed] On 12 October 1943, Gwilym Lloyd George, Minister of Fuel and Power, announced in the House of Commons that some conscripts would be directed to the mines.
This caused a great deal of upset, as many young men wanted to join the fighting forces and felt that as miners, their contributions would not be valued.
[28] Boys when they were nearly 18 years old received an official postcard instructing them in five days time to report to a training centre such as at Cresswell Colliery, Derbyshire.
[20] For the most part, the Bevin Boys were not directly involved in cutting coal from the mine face, but acted instead as colliers assistants, responsible for filling tubs or wagons and hauling them back to the shaft for transport to the surface.
[35] After the war, Bevin Boys received neither medals nor the right to return to the jobs they had previously held,[4] although like forces veterans, they were entitled to participate in the government's Further Education and Training Scheme, which paid university fees and an annual means-tested grant of up to £426 to cover living expenses whilst studying.
[36] The role played by Bevin Boys in Britain's war effort was not fully recognised until 1995, 50 years after VE Day, when Queen Elizabeth II mentioned them in a speech.
[38] The first badges were awarded on 25 March 2008 by the then-prime minister, Gordon Brown, at a reception in 10 Downing Street, marking the 60th anniversary of discharge of the last Bevin Boys.
[60] British musician Jez Lowe wrote the song "The Sea and the Deep Blue Devil" from the perspective of a Bevin Boy who loses his girlfriend to a Royal Navy recruit.
