Bevin Boys

E98649

The Bevin Boys were young British men conscripted during World War II to work in coal mines instead of military service, helping to maintain vital energy supplies for the war effort.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf British civilian conscripts
World War II home front workforce
appliesToDemographic young British men
appliesToJurisdiction Great Britain NERFINISHED
commemoratedBy Bevin Boys Veterans Badge
memorials in the United Kingdom
country United Kingdom
didNotReceive demobilisation benefits equal to military veterans at the time
dissolved 1948
employer British coal mining industry
endTime March 1948
faced accusations of avoiding military service
dangerous working conditions
social stigma
hasActivity coal mining
industrial labor
hasCause increased wartime demand for coal
shortage of coal miners during World War II
hasEffect alleviated labor shortages in coal industry
increased coal output for wartime needs
hasHistoricalSignificance illustrates importance of industrial labor in total war
inception 1943
languageOfWorkOrName English
laterReceived formal recognition by the UK government
veterans badge
legalBasis British wartime conscription regulations
locationOfWork coal mines in Britain
mainPurpose maintain coal production during World War II
support energy supplies for war industries
namedAfter Ernest Bevin
numberOfParticipants approximately 48000
opposedBy some military personnel
some trade unionists
opposedTo military conscription for combat roles
participantOf British home front during World War II
partOf British conscription system in World War II
British war effort in World War II
recognizedAs conscientious service to the war effort
replaces military service for selected conscripts
selectionMethod ballot system
conscription
directed labor assignment
startTime December 1943
supervisedBy Ministry of Fuel and Power
Ministry of Labour and National Service
timePeriod World War II
typicalAgeRange 18–25
workType manual labor
underground mining

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.