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THE FORGOTTEN CONSCRIPTS
OF SIXTY YEARS AGO
By Warwick H Taylor, MBE,
Vice President of The Bevin Boys Association
These young men could well be described as having served in the
secret underground movement during the Second World War, but not in the
sense that most people would imagine, for even today many have not heard
of the term Bevin Boy.
Sixty years ago on the 2nd December 1943, Ernest Bevin the wartime
Minister of Labour and National Service announced in the House of
Commons a scheme that was to change the lives of many young men, by
being directed to serve their National Service working underground in
the coal mines of Britain.
When war was declared against Germany in September 1939, a large number
of experienced miners were called up into the Forces, with others
leaving to take up work in other higher paid industries. In the years
leading up to 1943 various schemes were set up to recruit labour and
thus increase coal production vital to the needs of the nation.
The release of ex miners in the Home Forces, the recall of retired
miners, unemployed and young boys of school leaving age to make a career
in coal mining were all tried, proving to be unsuccessful.
The only way of overcoming this serious situation was to conscript an
additional 50,000 men to work underground in the coal mines over a
period of eighteen months.
The system employed by the Minister was that of a ballot scheme whereby
young men between the ages of 18 and 25 years, upon registering for
National Service, would be selected according to the last digit of his
registration number. Numbers would be drawn on a fortnightly basis with
the first being drawn in the Minister's Office on the 14th December. 'Fhe
fact of having received any form of pre-service training in a Cadet
Force woyld not grant the right for any exemption. Any refusal to comply
with the Direction Order would inevitably result in a heavy fine or
possible imprisonment under the Emergency Powers Act in force at the
time.
Not all Bevin.Boys were ballotees, as many had the opportunity at the
time of call-up of choosing this form of employment in lieu of service
in the Armed Forces and were so classified as Optants or Volunteers.
However it. must be clearly stated that Bevin Boys were not
Conscientious Objectors because of this decision, an unfortunate stigma
that has been a bone of contention ever since.
After medical examinations, travel warrants and instructions quickly
followed to report to one of the thirteen Government Training Centre
Collieries in England, Wales and Scotland.
Upon arrival at the assigned destination, a Ministry of Labour Official
would allocate accommodation in either a purpose built Miners Hostel
similar to an army camp, or billeted out to a private home all at a cost
of £1.25 (twenty five shillings) per week deducted from an average wage
of £3.50 (three pounds, ten shillings).
Training would last for a duration of four weeks and take the form of
classroom lectures, surface and underground training as well as physical
training, when at the end of this period allocation would be made to a
colliery normally within the same region, where again accommodation
would be similar to those at the training centre.
Bevin Boys were issued with a safety helmet, overalls and a pair of
steel capped boots and like other miners carried a heavy miners safety
lamp, a snap tin containing sandwiches and a water bottle.
The lamp would first be issued from the lamp room on production of a
brass lamp check or token followed by a contraband search by the
Banksman who was in charge of cage movements on the surface, to make
sure that no person was concealing tobacco, cigarettes, matches or
lighters all of which being strictly forbidden for obvious reasons with
the ever present risk of explosion from methane gas or firedamp. The
main purpose of the lamp is to detect any presence of gas although
providing light.
Doubtless an Bevin Boy will never forget the initiation drop in the cage
causing heavy pressure on the ear drums and possible nose bleeds. Upon
emerging from the cage after descending anything up to a mile deep into
the earths interior, invariably followed by a long walk on uneven
terrain to finally arrive to work in dangerous and cramped conditions.
However the majority of Bevin Boys worked on haulage or conveyor belts
with only a few graduating to work on the coal face.
Most forms of haulage involved the use of cables for the movement of
tubs or drams as they were known in Wales and in some collieries pit
ponies were used. A pony would be an invaluable friend in the event of a
miners safety lamp going out, to find a frightening situation of being
in total darkness and a considerable distance from the pit bottom, by
holding on to the tail of the pony, would lead the unfortunate miner
back to safety. Pit ponies were stabled underground for life at some
90llieries, whereas others would allow them to come up to the surface
for one week during the annual holiday period when the pit was closed.
Understandably the Bevin Boy was looked upon with suspicion by the
regular miners who were suddenly faced with an invasion of young
inexperienced men many who had never got their hands dirty in their
lives and were forced into an industry in which they had no wish to be.
Miners relied on bonuses earned by hard work, and would not relish
working alongside a Bevin Boy who showed a complete lack of interest and
did not pull his weight. Fortunately these fears and suspicions were
soon dispelled proving their capability in spite of considerable
absenteeism.
The work was hard in appalling conditions with no toilet facilities,
working in areas that were either hot, cold, wet, draughty, dusty, dirty
and smelly. The constant noise of machinery was also deafening with
daily hazards of enduring cuts and bruises. Dangers and risks were
numerous, with always the fear that perhaps there might be an explosion
resulting in fire or even a rock fall.
Allocation of jobs would normally be made by the Deputy, the official
name given to the person in charge and it was always good policy to keep
on the right side of him in order to avoid being allocated an unpopular
job.
At the end of a shift a rush would be made back to the pit bottom where
the person in charge of the cage movements known as the Onsetter would
control the awaiting queue to get back into the fresh air and
civilisation.
Some of the larger collieries had pit head baths in order to shower and
change into clean clothes, but where facilities were not provided it
would mean going back to the hostel or billets.
The Bevin Boy did not have a uniform and therefore only wore civilian
clothes when off duty, which attracted considerable attention from the
public prompting adverse remarks as to why not being in Navy, Army or
Air Force uniform. Also being of military age, prompted suspicion as
either being a draft dodger or deserter from the Forces or possible
enemy agent with frequent challenging by the local Police.
With the ending of the Second World War in Europe, eventually a release
scheme was introduced similar to that of the Forces, but Bevin Boys
received no form of recognition or reward for their services to the war
effort in which they played a vital part.
Whilst serving, all servicemen enjoyed NAAFI. facilities with
concessionary tobacco and cigarette rates and confectionary rations.
When released from the Forces were allowed to keep their uniforms,
kitted out with a demobilisation outfit, granted several weeks leave and
received campaign medals. Also it was a mandatory requirement for
civilian occupations to be held open to returning ex servicemen.
None of these applied to the Bevin Boys who were clearly identified as
"civilians" and not servicemen inspite of all serving under the title of
National Service.
A small number of Bevin Boys formed an Association during the war,
but stood little chance of success due to lack of communication being
isolated in different parts of the United Kingdom and the gradual
release from the coal mining industry.
It was not until 50 years later that a handful of Bevin Boys decided to
form the Bevin Boys Association in 1989.
In 1998 the Bevin Boys Association was granted the honour of parading in
the Remembrance Day Parade at the Cenotaph in London, being the only
civilians apart from London Transport allowed to participate, which has
now become an annual event.
Further recognition followed in 2000 when HM. The Queen unveiled The
Home Front Memorial in Coventry to commemorate the role of all civilians
including Bevin Boys who served the Nation during WWII.
Today, with the decline of the coal mining industry, the Bevin Boy will
not be forgotten and has become part of our coal mining history.
I shall never forget my time working as one of the 50,000 Bevin Boys, or
for the respect for the miners with whom I worked with in South Wales.
Formation of Bevin Boys Association
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