here ya are
Bevan Boys - Down the Mines
By RAF Cosford Roadshow
People in story: Ronald Griffan
Location of story: South Wales & Midlands
In 1944 I received my call up papers much to the dismay of my boss Dick Small. He got onto the authorities to try and get me exempt from call up, pleading I was employed on important war work. He also told them I was in a play which funds were for war charities. To my surprise I was given an exemption until the play had finished its run.
In 1943 the government had panicked because the country had become very short of coal. Young miners had either been called up or gone to work in munitions factories for better pay. Emergency meetings were called in the House and Ernest Bevin then Minister of Labour put a proposal that a ballot to be drawn conscripting those boys with a certain letter after their name be called up for the mines. They became known as Bevin Boys of which I was about to become one. In May 1944 I travelled to Newport Monmouthshire. A packed train dropped me at Blackwood station where I met up with other Bevin Boys and taken to a special hostel for training. We were housed in old army huts the long dormitories our sleeping accommodation for the next four weeks. Lads and men had been recruited from all over the country. Most good humoured and jolly, so I felt I was in for a happy time. With meagre rations at home, it was a treat to have a cooked breakfast and a nice evening meal at the hostel. During the mornings we had lectures from people from the pit management and in the afternoons we did manual work such as stripping bark from pit props. To break us in we visited other pits in the area of Newport and Oakdale.
Each day down the mine got worse I found it hard to adapt to the conditions. The stale air caused a burning sensation in my lungs and the heat and heavy work drained all my strength away. One morning I was working away heaving coal onto the conveyer. When something told to move my position. Lunging forward feeling something was about to happen I almost fell over a split second later there was a tremendous crash followed by clouds of grey dust and a great pile of rubble. Almost a goner I could have been underneath it. I secretly wrote to other collieries in the midlands hoping they would accept me on a transfer I received only one reply from the Earl of Dudley’s Baggeridge Colliery near Wolverhampton. They would accept me provided I got permission from my local National Service Officer. I wrote to him and was granted an interview at his office at Port Talbot. One afternoon returning to my digs I saw a small buff envelope propped up against the salt cruet on opening a card filled in by bold writing fell into my hand. It informed me my transfer to the midland mine had been granted and that my new duties at Baggeridge to commence the following Monday.
I was there till the war ended but had to carry on in the mine waiting for a demob number to be issued to us Bevin Boys. The government having forced us “boys” into the mines in 1943 turned a deaf ear when it came to releasing us as they were still very short of coal. One minister was heard to say “O Bevin Boys” they are not worth bothering about. However I was finally given my release number but not until October 1948 three years after the war.
On October 3” 1948 I went down the pit for the last time. After the shift I had to collect my cards and see the manager. He was very friendly and asked me to stay on Yo” bin a good worker” he said and we all thought the world of you” I was puzzled I had never seen him under ground but he must have known everyone and what was going on.
I thanked for the offer but I had my own plans I had been offered a scholarship as a full time student at the Birmingham Drama School, Queens College. He wished me luck and I came away exhilarated although with a tinge of sadness. I had worked with some fine men in the mines with a world of their own creating an atmosphere of comradeship, jollity and sense of well being. The like of which I never have experienced again.
Ronald Griffin.
full story at following site
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/A3503152
