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Reward for 'Bevin boy'

Ailsa Cranna
24/ 4/2008

AFTER 60 years a Prestwich pensioner is finally able to wear with pride a badge he won for work down the mines during the Second World War.

Leslie Cohen, 88, was one of the famous Bevin Boys, named after Ernest Bevin, Churchill’s Minister of Labour during the 1939-45 conflict.

Like many young men, including famous names such as comedian Eric Morecambe and DJ Jimmy Savile, Leslie did vital war work down the mines and should have earned a Bevin Badge.

Now, thanks to detective work by his daughter Lynda Sable, the pensioner, who lives at the Heathlands Village, in Prestwich, has finally got his award 60 years late.

Leslie is one of 3,000 proud owners of the badge, which bears the picture of a miner and a pithead.

Born in Stockport, he was registered for service in the forces in 1939 but was not called up because he was in a reserved occupation as a machine tool engineer at Fairey Aviation in Levenshulme.

But, at the age of 25, in 1945, he was made redundant and received his call up papers, and offered the choice of joining the Army or going down the mines.

Leslie said: "It was a difficult decision, because I really wanted to serve my country, but my wife was expecting our child so I decided to remain closer to home."

He did his mining training at Swinton and was sent to work down the pit at Bradford Colliery in Manchester.

However, his mining career ended abruptly when a tub of stone crashed into his leg and he was sent to Ancoats Hospital for treatment.

He went on to run a corner shop in Cheetham Hill before moving to another shop in Sale, travelling daily from his home in Whitefield.

Leslie has two daughter and two grand-daughters. His wife Sadie passed away five years ago and he has lived at Heathlands for two years.

After receiving his Bevin Boys badge, Leslie said this week: "It’s been a long time coming but the wait is finally over and I am very proud to wear it."