A LONG-UNSUNG body of men, who played a valuable role in Britain's war effort, finally earned recognition yesterday.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown formally recognised the efforts of nearly 48,000 "forgotten conscripts", known as Bevin Boys, who replaced the many miners lost through service in the Armed Forces in the latter years of the Second World War.

The first commemorative badges to herald the efforts of the Bevin Boys were presented at a Downing Street ceremony.

It marked the 60th anniversary of the disbanding of the programme to conscript much- needed men to work in the mines, three years after the end of hostilities.

A group of 27 former Bevin Boys, including Sir Jimmy Savile, were the first to receive the lapel badge.

The party included two former Bevin Boys from the North - Les Back, from Seaham, in east Durham, and Alf Gaddas, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

They were among the recruits, then aged between 18 and 25, who were called up to serve in the collieries rather than in the forces in the programme introduced to meet the shortfall of miners by wartime Minister Ernest Bevin.

Anyone conscripted directly to the mines, or who joined colliery workforces instead of the Armed Forces, or who originally served in the Armed Forces and later volunteered to become a miner, is eligible to apply for a badge.

Mr Bevin, the then Minister for Labour and National Service, introduced the scheme in response to the increasing shortage of labour in the mining industry.

Many regular miners had been called up into the forces, leaving a shortfall of able men.

But the role of the recruits drafted into the mines has largely been passed over, leading to them being referred to as the "forgotten conscripts".

Outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed to the Commons last June that applications were being invited for the badge.

He said at the time that the country owed the Bevin Boys a "sense of gratitude" for their work.

Three thousand former Bevin Boys have put their names forward, with up to 11,000 survivors believed to be still eligible to apply. The award cannot be given posthumously.