Trevor John Miners

Trevor replaced his brother Auxilier Eric Miners when he was called up and a Sargent in the Cadet Force when enlisted, a company run by Lieutenant Frank Edwards.

He remembered himself and Edgar Mitchell being sent on courses to Coleshill, Wiltshire arriving by train at Swindon. “We were told to report to the Post Office and ask for Mabel” he recalled. “She checked our credentials and when satisfied arranged transport to take us to H.Q. We were trained in the use of all types of explosives: phosphorus bombs that you could not put out, Molotov cocktails and booby trap devices. We were shown how to use magnetic clamps fitted with gelignite and attach them to tanks or a railway line just to cause as much disruption as possible”.

The image of Trevor (right) and Edgar Mitchell was taken at or near Swindon Railway Station as they returned from training at Coleshill.

After stand down Trevor went for his medical to enlist in the regular army. At the time there was a severe shortage of mine workers so a ballot was held of those enlisting. All those with a certain digit in their service numbers were conscripted as “Bevan Boys”. Trevor spent the next 4 1/2 years at the coal face in Hirwaun near Aberdare, South Wales before being allowed to return home. Some pictures of his time there can be seen here.

In July 2005 it was a close call as to who had travelled the furthest to The BRO Museum in Parham for their Open Day between Roy Coleman of Port Talbot and Trevor Miners from Perranporth.

Trevor Miners has been influential in informing people of the Auxiliary Units existence and keeping the memory alive both within the South West and Nationwide. He has told his story on TV on BBC Spotlight, Tales from the Snug, and WW2 Experience.

In 2013 Trevor Miners marched at the Cenotaph on Whitehall for the first time. 2014 saw Trevor return to the Cenotaph.

In 2015 Trevor was asked to open the new Observation Post at GHQ Coleshill.

Sadly on 4th April 2016 Trevor Miners died peacefully at home. Read his obituary here. A hugely popular local he was called MR Perranporth and at his funeral many of the mourners had to stand outside. He had been a member of the Perranporth Life-Saving Club alongside his brother Eric and between them they served for more than 80 years.

Trevor has a Memorial Tree planted at Coleshill Estate.