Countess of Wessex pays tribute to war heroes as she unveils the Bevin Boys memorial
THE Countess of Wessex happily unveiled a memorial for the thousands of men who worked in British coal miners during the Second World War today.
Sophie, 48, was pictured at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, Staffordshire, this afternoon where she met with several former minors - known as Bevin Boys.
The memorial is officially named after the 48,000 young men who joined regular miners down the coal mines in the dangerous, but vital work to keep supplies of coal flowing during the war.
Wearing a multi-coloured patterned dress with a white blazer and nude heels, the Countess uncovered the memorial - which was draped in a Union Jack flag.
She sported a huge smile as she read the words on the stone and later laid flowers down too.
The mother-of-two was then more than happy to spend most of her time talking to the elderly people who had worked in the coal mines many years ago.
In particular, she was seen hugging former Bevin Boy Harry Parkes, who designed the memorial, and even shed a tear whilst talking to him.
He was one of the 40,000 men tho replaced former coal mine workers who left the mines to join the armed services or transfer to higher-paid "war industries."
They became known as Bevin Boys when, in December 1943, Labour and National Service Minister Ernest Bevin devised a scheme whereby a ballot took place to put a proportion of conscripts into the collieries rather than the armed services.
Alongside the ballotees were also men who volunteered for service in the coal mines rather than military.
Between 1943 and 1948, 48,000 young men were conscripted for National Service Employment in British coal mines. It is thought around 5,000 miners lost their lives during the war.