I know that there is an exhibition in London celebrating the end of WW2 and that there have been programmes on TV, but there is a forgotten group of people.

I refer to the Bevin Boys, who were sent down the coal mines instead of being conscripted into the armed forces. One chap I know, a former BB, hoped to follow his father into the RAF (I think his father was in the RFC) but instead found himself sent down the local mine.

Has anyone seen anything about the Bevin Boys this week?

Couldnt answer that.
Jimmy saville was also a Bevin boy wasnt he.?

These sites may be of interest to you.
http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/trlout/TRA27580.html
http://www.durham-miner.org.uk/miner/projects.nsf/0/1f0eb023098394bc80256ea8002fb948?OpenDocument
http://www.nmgw.ac.uk/www.php/5/?article_id=126
http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/bevinboys.html

The Bevin Boys are represented at the rememberence day ceremonies at the cenotaph in London.

Nice to hear that and thanks to Andy who has reminded us of a group of people , largely forgotten , I should think , by today's generation.
Yes , the 2nd. World War [or any war !] was not just won by the soldiers but by all sorts of , "back-up" personnel.
The , Bevin boys were amongst the most essential of the , "extras".
Was it an "easy " option ? Far from it -----in fact , I'd wager a bet , and just guessing , that more Bevin boys lost their lives , proportionally , digging for coal than the proportion of soldiers who lost their lives. This is not taking anything away from the soldiers --------just to say they ALL did a great job.

Originally posted by Fareast

Was it an "easy " option ? Far from it -----in fact , I'd wager a bet , and just guessing , that more Bevin boys lost their lives , proportionally , digging for coal than the proportion of soldiers who lost their lives. This is not taking anything away from the soldiers --------just to say they ALL did a great job.

And whereas most of the armed forces conscripts were able to resume a normal life shortly after the end of hostilities, the miners were not released from there conscription status until 1948 in many cases.

There was an interview with a Bevin Boy on TV the other evening - he was kept on until 1948.

One of my uncles served in this capacity, and then stayed on as a miner until he retired. Strangely enough within a short time of two of my other uncles being released from military service they'd actually ended up working as pit deputies and managers!

The first uncle I mentioned showed me his back years later - there was a series of blue-black marks down his spine where his back had rubbed agaisnt the roof of the tunnel as he was going to the coal face. Although he was bent over almost double his back would still scrape the ceiling and coal dust got under his skin providing him with a very strange tattoo effect.


Joe

Yes , Joe , one of my uncles [ex Treeton Colliery] showed me similar scars on his back.
It was really difficult for anyone of above-average height too. In one of Orwell's essays [or was it in , "Road to Wigan Pier" ?], he describes a day's work in the coal-mines. Orwell was just over 6ft. tall and he gives a vivid description of the stamia needed to get through just one day.
I remember him writing that he found it almost unbelievable that men could do such work , day , after day , after day.
Truly , a breed apart.