Coal mining throughout the ages has, by its very nature, always been a difficult, strenuous and dangerous occupation, carried out very often in appalling working conditions. Yet it was accepted by miners as a way of life, handed down from generation to generation, as the only available means of providing a livelihood for themselves and their families.

It is because of a combination of these and other circumstances, that a unique bond of comradeship existed amongst miners and their communities, both at work and at play. In these communities, tales of exploits of bravery and self-sacrifice, often without thought of their own safety, were commonplace but seldom recorded or publicly acclaimed.

The following event is one of the few occasions which I can recall when such acclaim was given to Dipton miners in recognition of their bravery, although sadly, it is also evidence of the tragic loss of the life of a young miner on 27th April 1944. The British Empire Medal was awarded to John Kerr of Dipton and William Baker, also of Dipton, received a commendation, these awards were in recognition of their exemplary bravery in South Medomsley Colliery (locally known as High Stables Pit) in North-West Durham.

The official citation of the Award stated that two hewers had been engaged in extracting coal in a working 2'-8" high. A putter had attached his pony to a tub standing there, when, without the slightest warning, the roof collapsed over a large area. A large stone (it was later estimated to have weighed nearly 35 tonnes) completely covered one of the hewers and the putter. The pony was also trapped under the debris.

The other hewer gave the alarm, and the deputy overman, John Kerr was quickly on the scene. After sending for help he set to work to release the trapped men. He sat on the pony's head, cut off the leather gears and dragged out the pony, which was pressing against the hewer's body. He crawled under the large stone, sawed through the timbers which were pressing against the man's head and with assistance, carried on clearing away stone and coal until 45 minutes later the hewer was liberated. John Kerr and other members of the rescue team carried on for a further three hours until the putter's body was extricated, during which time the rescue party had to withdraw hurriedly on two occasions owing to further collapse of the roof.

Miraculously, the trapped hewer Fred Thompson, who had been buried up to his chest in debris from the fall, was released having suffered only severe bruising. Sadly the young putter, Cecil White aged 18 years, had been killed by the fall of stone.

John Kerr who was 61 had worked at South Medomsley Colliery for 36 years and was a keen member of the Dipton Division of St John Ambulance Brigade. Among the first to call and congratulate John Kerr was Mr A S Davison, Manager of South Medomsley Colliery, who described the action which gained the award as "One of the bravest I have ever seen".

William Baker, a coal hewer who materially assisted John Kerr in the rescue operation, received a commendation. John Kerr said that William Baker was immediately behind him throughout the rescue operation. It was also reported that these men and others engaged in the rescue attempt, deployed exemplary bravery despite the ever-present danger of further falls of stone which might have cost them their lives. In addition to the official mention in the Honours List, both men received further awards from the Carnegie Hero Trust Fund for their heroism.

At the time it was reported that the awards and heroism of all concerned in the rescue attempts gave a real sense of pride to the village of Dipton. Both men would say very little about their action, for each took it as their duty, but it was to such men that the villages' pride went out, for they typified the miner who faced danger each and every day that he descended the mine and whose courage was a thing to be marvelled at.

I can confirm from first hand knowledge that these sentiments were often repeated at South Medomsley Colliery but were also applicable to mining communities throughout the coalfields of Great Britain.

One final comment that could be made is that if so called modern society were to learn a lesson from this sad tragedy of years gone by, is that communities that both work and play together - stay together and live in harmony with themselves, their families and their communities to the mutual benefit of society in general.