WAR veteran James McQuaid played a vital part in the victory of the Second World War – he worked down the mines, along with 48,000 other men, as part of the war effort. The 82-year-old 'Bevin Boy' is among 5,000 surviving who have only recently been given official recognition by the Government. Mr McQuaid, of Kingswood Firs, Grayshott, was sent his Bevin Boy badge last month, 60 years after being demobbed. Mr McQuaid was 17 and already on firewatch in North London, and hoping to join his brother Dennis in the RAF. He volunteered for service three months before his 18th birthday, but instead found himself being sent to the coal mines of Sunderland. His wife Joan, who he met before the war and married in 1955, said: "We got a telephone message, but thought at first it was one of those sales calls. Then we asked the Royal British Legion and were told about the badge. A form came, we filled it in and the badge came – he was delighted, even though it was 60 years afterwards. "It would be interesting to know if anybody else locally has one." She added: "This year is his lucky year – he has just won a £150 Premium Bond and he has won every other month, totalling more than £400 this year. He never won before!" As Britain was unable to import coal during the Second World War, the production of coal from mines in Britain had to be increased. To meet this need it was decided by the Minister of Labour, Ernest Bevin, that a percentage of young men called up to serve in the forces should work in the mines. From 1943 to the end of the war one in 10 of the young men called up were sent to work in the mines. This caused a great deal of upset as the many of the young men wanted to join the fighting forces and many felt that they were not valued. These miners were given the nick name Bevin Boys. Many suffered taunts as they wore no uniform and were wrongly assumed to be avoiding serving in the armed forces. The first badges were issued in March this year, to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the demobbing of the last Bevin Boy. Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks announced recently: "I am calling on all surviving Bevin Boys to come forward to claim this unique veterans badge as a tribute to their sacrifices during and after the Second World War. "These heroes in our community helped to keep the coal fields running during the war and in the post- war reconstruction of Britain." Only 5,000 of these conscripted miners are still alive, all are over 80 years old, and they were only allowed to take part in the Remembrance Day celebrations from 1998.
