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Brown honours wartime Bevin Boys Brown honours wartime Bevin Boys
(30 minutes later)
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has awarded commemorative badges to men who were conscripted or volunteered to work as miners during World War II.Prime Minister Gordon Brown has awarded commemorative badges to men who were conscripted or volunteered to work as miners during World War II.
Sir Jimmy Savile and Lord Rix were among the 27 men, known as the Bevin Boys, to be honoured at the ceremony.Sir Jimmy Savile and Lord Rix were among the 27 men, known as the Bevin Boys, to be honoured at the ceremony.
Mr Brown said they did the country a "great service" and "it still makes us proud to remember everything you did".Mr Brown said they did the country a "great service" and "it still makes us proud to remember everything you did".
Wartime minister Ernest Bevin's scheme saw 48,000 men aged 18 to 25 recruited for the mines between 1943 and 1948.Wartime minister Ernest Bevin's scheme saw 48,000 men aged 18 to 25 recruited for the mines between 1943 and 1948.
The Bevin Boys helped ease the UK's coal shortage and their contribution to the war effort has never before been formally recognised.The Bevin Boys helped ease the UK's coal shortage and their contribution to the war effort has never before been formally recognised.
Mr Brown said: "The service that the Bevin Boys gave to this country was incredibly important and not only helped us to win the war but also to rebuild our country after the war.Mr Brown said: "The service that the Bevin Boys gave to this country was incredibly important and not only helped us to win the war but also to rebuild our country after the war.
"The Bevin Boys' contribution, like that of the Spitfire Women, the Women's Timber Corps and the Women's Land Army, did not receive the recognition it deserved at the time as honours were concentrated on those who saw frontline service.""The Bevin Boys' contribution, like that of the Spitfire Women, the Women's Timber Corps and the Women's Land Army, did not receive the recognition it deserved at the time as honours were concentrated on those who saw frontline service."
'Dangerous jobs''Dangerous jobs'
Sir Jimmy was a member of the Air Training Corps before being conscripted as a Bevin Boy.Sir Jimmy was a member of the Air Training Corps before being conscripted as a Bevin Boy.
Speaking after the Downing Street ceremony, he said it was a "tremendous surprise and honour" to be recognised for something, which had been "all done for survival and freedom".Speaking after the Downing Street ceremony, he said it was a "tremendous surprise and honour" to be recognised for something, which had been "all done for survival and freedom".
The former Top of the Pops host told BBC Radio 4's Today programme about the job he "loved" and his daily rituals.The former Top of the Pops host told BBC Radio 4's Today programme about the job he "loved" and his daily rituals.
If that's what we were told to do by the country to save the country, that's what we did Sir Jimmy SavileIf that's what we were told to do by the country to save the country, that's what we did Sir Jimmy Savile
"I was up at four in the morning, down at six and then a mile-and-a-half walk bent double underground," he said."I was up at four in the morning, down at six and then a mile-and-a-half walk bent double underground," he said.
"And when I got to the coal face I used to 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'.""And when I got to the coal face I used to 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'."
He added that he was no less proud to tell people of his war effort than if he had seen frontline action.He added that he was no less proud to tell people of his war effort than if he had seen frontline action.
"If that's what we were told to do by the country to save the country, that's what we did," he said."If that's what we were told to do by the country to save the country, that's what we did," he said.
"Some people had nice jobs, some people had not nice jobs; we had dangerous jobs but there were people with jobs far more dangerous than us.""Some people had nice jobs, some people had not nice jobs; we had dangerous jobs but there were people with jobs far more dangerous than us."
Another celebrity Bevin Boy - former actor and Mencap President Lord (Brian) Rix - was also awarded a badge, which features a pithead design and profile of a miner.Another celebrity Bevin Boy - former actor and Mencap President Lord (Brian) Rix - was also awarded a badge, which features a pithead design and profile of a miner.
He said afterwards: "I was a volunteer, there were quite a lot of us, and I quite enjoyed the experience.He 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."Yes it's overdue, but it's welcome. I think it's remarkable that somebody has even bothered at this stage.
"It was a strange job, but everything's strange in a war.""It was a strange job, but everything's strange in a war."
'Forgotten conscripts''Forgotten conscripts'
Ernest Stonestreet, 81, who lives in Peterborough, was an office boy working for the public health department when he became a Bevin Boy at the age of 18, in January 1945.Ernest Stonestreet, 81, who lives in Peterborough, was an office boy working for the public health department when he became a Bevin Boy at the age of 18, in January 1945.
"I worked in a drift mine at Rhigos in South Wales. There was no electricity underground, it was pretty 18th century stuff."I worked in a drift mine at Rhigos in South Wales. There was no electricity underground, it was pretty 18th century stuff.
"I started by hacking the coal out by hand, and when I turned 21 I would go in and repair the tunnels by night for the other miners, making sure they were safe and making them bigger.""I started by hacking the coal out by hand, and when I turned 21 I would go in and repair the tunnels by night for the other miners, making sure they were safe and making them bigger."
Anyone who was conscripted directly into the mines, who joined the mines instead of the armed forces or who originally served in the armed forces and later volunteered to become a miner, is eligible to apply for a lapel badge.Anyone who was conscripted directly into the mines, who joined the mines instead of the armed forces or who originally served in the armed forces and later volunteered to become a miner, is eligible to apply for a lapel badge.
A government spokeswoman said it was a "survivor's badge", and in keeping with the Ministry of Defence's policy on HM Armed Forces Veteran badges, it would not be awarded posthumously.
The ceremony coincides with the 60th anniversary of the demobilisation of the last Bevin Boys.The ceremony coincides with the 60th anniversary of the demobilisation of the last Bevin Boys.
Mr Bevin, the then minister for Labour and National Service, introduced the scheme in response to an increasing shortage of labour in the coal mining industry.Mr Bevin, the then minister for Labour and National Service, introduced the scheme in response to an increasing shortage of labour in the coal mining industry.
Many regular miners had joined the forces, leaving a shortfall of able men.Many regular miners had joined the forces, leaving a shortfall of able men.
But the men subsequently drafted into the mines have often been referred to as the "forgotten conscripts".But the men subsequently drafted into the mines have often been referred to as the "forgotten conscripts".
Outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed to the Commons last June that applications were being invited for the special badge.Outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed to the Commons last June that applications were being invited for the special badge.