By Ralph Barnett

ARBROATH MAN David Nicoll and around 30 other “Bevin Boys”—including veteran DJ and broadcaster Sir Jimmy Savile and Sir Brian Rix—was at 10 Downing Street yesterday to receive what many have described as long overdue recognition for their contribution on the home front during the second world war.

The men who were balloted or volunteered to work as coal miners during the war will be presented with special commemorative badges to mark their role in hewing the vital raw material which fuelled industry and production during the dark days of the war.

Fulfilling a pledge made by his predecessor Tony Blair, Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed a delegation of the surviving Bevin Boys to his official residence to hand over the badges on the 60th anniversary of their demobilisation.

Mr Brown told them, “I’m sorry, in a way, it’s taken until now to recognise your service, but it’s right that we do so and it’s right that we remember everything you’ve done.”

Ernest Bevin, the then Minister for Labour and National Service, came up with the scheme which was quickly—if unofficially—named after him in response to an acute shortage of mine workers.

Many working miners had been conscripted or had volunteered for military service leaving a massive shortfall of able men.

The scheme saw around 48,000 men aged 18 to 25 recruited for the mines between 1943 and 1948.

The recognition was welcomed by Mr Nicoll, who is the Scottish representative of the Bevin Boys veterans’ organisation, as only right for those who had little choice but to work at home instead of fighting for their country abroad, and especially those who have passed away over the years.

Mr Nicoll, who is now in his 80s and was serving an engineering apprenticeship with Arbroath firm Keith and Blackman when he was called up to work in the mines, said, “The government had made a mess of the coal industry and had taken miners off the list of reserved occupations so, by the time Hitler had occupied most of Europe, there was a severe shortage of coal in Britain.

“Ernest Bevin came up with the idea of the ballot and, if your number was picked out of a hat, you had no option but to go down the pits.

“I was taken to a training camp at a disused mine near Dunfermline and then sent to the Fife Coal Company’s Cowdenbeath No 7 mine to work.

“When I saw what was expected of us—basically labouring in three-foot high seams while the trained miners did the hewing at the face—I went to see the mine engineer and told him I was an engineering apprentice.

“He took me on to help maintain the equipment above and below ground which, while it was still hard work, was better than being down the pit all the time.

“When I was eventually demobbed I was lucky enough to get my old job back.”

Celebrity Bevin Boy Lord Rix said afterwards, “I was a volunteer, there were quite a lot of us, and I quite enjoyed the experience.

“Yes it’s overdue, but it’s welcome, I think it’s remarkable that somebody has even bothered at this stage.”

Sir Jimmy Savile, said, “During the war, none of us did anything expecting recognition, it was all done for survival and freedom.

“The fact that 60 years later somebody says ‘here’s a medal for what you did’ comes as a tremendous surprise and honour.”

Sir Jimmy was a member of the Air Training Corps before becoming a Bevin Boy.

The former Top Of The Pops host has previously said, “I loved it. I was up at four in the morning, down at six and then a mile and a half to walk bent double underground and when I got to the coalface I used to—they must have thought I was very peculiar—rush up to the coalface and put my hands on it and say ‘Oh, that’s been there for 70 million years and I’m the first one to touch it’.”

A leading light in the campaign to have the Bevin Boys honoured has spoken of his pleasure at their recognition, writes Richard Burdge.

Gordon Banks, MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, who was at Downing Street yesterday, said, “I am delighted that today’s events have taken place and that Bevin Boys have had the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister and hear how much this country recognises, appreciates and respects their wartime effort.

“The Bevin Boys Commemorative Badge is a token of that appreciation.

“Although it is 60 years and in some ways overdue I am delighted to have led the campaign within Parliament to have the Bevin Boys recognised in this way.

“The Parliamentary campaign has been long and indeed was originally started by Roy Mason in the 1970s.”

He added, “I look forward to presenting awards on May 9 to Bevin Boys at the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian where many more Bevin Boys who were not able to travel down to London will receive their awards.

“It is not too late for Bevin Boys to come forward to claim their badge, and if any Bevin Boys are reading this I would urge them to contact my office who will make the necessary arrangements.”