THIS is a particularly special year for commemoration. We are remembering the sacrifices of servicemen and their families in World War One and the heroes of D Day in World War Two.

In a couple of weeks, there will services to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem, A Bridge Too Far.

Today we pay tribute to another diminishing band of heroes, the Bevin Boys. They worked the mines to keep the country’s war effort going.

There are very few of them left and their contribution in those dark years has only more recently been properly recognised.

We salute them.