This 5 years service medal was awarded to Harry Radcliffe whilst serving on the Wyndham Colliery Mines Rescue Team.
Harry`s Life Story.......
Harry Radcliffe was born at number 2 Bridge Street, Ogmore Vale, on July 17th 1919, just after the "Great War for Civilisation" had ended.
He started work at the age of fourteen as a Collier Boy, following his father to the Penllwyngwent Colliery, known locally as the "Drift". Harry worked eight hours a day, six days a week, for fifteen shillings a week. [The equivilant of 75p today]. This work was not guaranteed, with frequent bouts of only 2-3 days worked from the 1920`s through to the 1940`s.
This was to be the start of 47 years spent working in the collieries, moving from the Drift to the Wyndham Colliery in 1939, where he was present in December 1941 when King George VI and Queen, Elizabeth, officially opened the Wyndham Colliery Pithead Baths. Harry served his country during World War II, with the Nantymoel Home Guard from it`s formation in 1939 through it`s disbandment in 1945, for which he was awarded the Defence Medal.
He volunteered to join the Wyndham Colliery Mines Rescue Team in 1948, serving as Captain of the Rescue Team from 1952 until 1964, when he was forced to retire after reaching the mandatory retirng age of 45.
Harry continued working at the Wyndham Colliery, retiring in 1980 as Pit deputy.