This is the personal story of a Bevin Boy, one of the band of boys recruited by Ernest Bevin during the Second World War to work in the coal mines. the mining technology of the time, the back-breaking work, the hazards and the discomforts. His frequent amusing anecdotes together with his engaging observations of work mates serve as relief to this account of industrial slavery. The description of various episodes both above and below ground level reveal his wry sense of humour. author's escape comes about in an unexpected way and he eventually enters a more suitable professional area. instructive, and these memoirs are no exception.