Bevin Boys Badge

The Bevin Boys Badge (shown above) is being given to all survivors who either through compulsion or volunteering worked in the mines rather than serving in the Armed Forces under the Bevin Boys scheme. The widows of men who died on or after 20 June 2007 and fall into the above category will also be eligible.

The Bevin Boys Badge is a survivors badge and the intention is that it should be worn in public to visibly raise awareness of the important role they played during WWII and in the post-war reconstruction of the UK. Due to the time it has taken to implement the badge the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has decided all Bevin Boys who were surviving on or after 20 June 2007 are included.

The existing miners who stayed down the mine played a key role in the war effort – however the purpose of this badge is to recognise those who were selected or volunteered as part of the Bevin Boys scheme. Although miners who were already employed in the pits also made a similar contribution they were not part of this process.

The Government award, which because of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform’s responsibility for the coal industry, have introduced this badge. It is to officially recognise the contribution of the Bevin Boys, this is the first time that individual Bevin Boys have received recognition of their status.

The first badges were issued in early 2008. The time taken to issue individual badges is dependant on the number of applications received. Applicants should initially contact Mr Jeremy Cousins at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (details below) or use one of the links (below) to to obtain an application form.

Bevin Boys were called up between 1943 and 1945 when they were aged between 18 and 25 so their dates of birth should range from 1918 and 1927. Call up for ballottee Bevin Boys was again between 1943 and 1945. Release from the coal mining industry was gradual and took place during 1947 and 1948. The last were demobbed in 1948.

The period of training for Bevin Boys will have commenced between 1944 and 1945 and would have lasted for six weeks. Colliery training was carried out at one of thirteen pits around Britain. There may, however, be some Bevin Boys who were trained on site at a particular pit but the number of these is limited.

Widows of former Bevin Boys must include with their application a death certificate, with a date of death on or after 20 June 2007, and a marriage certificate both with the same deceased mans name.

Contact: Telephone: Email:	Jeremy Cousins Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bay 137 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET 0207 215 6145 jeremy.cousins@berr.gsi.gov.uk
Application Form	Click on one of the link to access the application form Adobe Acrobat Version Microsoft Word Version Complete, Sign and Date the form then return it to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency.
Address: Telephone: Facsimile: Email:	Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, Norcross Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 3WP 0800 169 2277 (Free) or +44 1253 866043 (Overseas) 01253 330561 or +44 1253 330561 (Overseas) veterans.help@spva.gsi.gov.uk

In order to view one of the application form pdf files you will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, if not already installed follow this link to download Adobe Acrobat