Newlands Colliery roof fall rescue, 1944

A heavy roof fall at Newlands Colliery, Kenfig Hill, in September 1944 trapped two colliers; the under-manager William Jenkins, already twenty-two hours underground, was trapped and injured by further falls but brought both men out, and was awarded the Edward Medal in Silver.

Cause

A heavy fall of roof trapped two colliers.

What happened

Shortly after three in the afternoon a heavy fall trapped two colliers at Newlands Colliery, north of Kenfig Hill. The under-manager, William Jenkins, who had already worked an arduous morning shift, took charge of the rescue. Further falls came down while the men worked towards them, and by 2.30 the next morning Jenkins was able to get on to the fall, which was extensive, through a hole about two feet square.

Rescue & recovery

Jenkins made a passage to the trapped men, was himself shut in when another fall blocked the way out, and with two others opened a new exit. Using three leather belts as a lifeline he began hauling the first man up through the hole when a further fall injured his neck, chest and arm; he was pulled out by his feet. When the exit was cleared he went back, rescued the first man and then the second, and the rescue was complete at 4 a.m., when he had been underground for twenty-two hours. He was awarded the Edward Medal in Silver, presented by King George VI at Whitehall on 27 November 1944, and a repairer received the British Empire Medal.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• After a heavy fall trapped two colliers, the under-manager William Jenkins made a passage to them, was trapped and injured by further falls, and brought both men out by 4 a.m., having been underground for 22 hours. ¹
• In 1944 the under-manager received the Edward Medal in Silver and a repairer received the BEM for outstanding gallantry in rescuing two men trapped under a roof fall. ²
• William Jenkins, under-manager, Newlands Colliery, was awarded the Edward Medal in Silver, dated 21 September 1944. ³
• King George VI presented Jenkins's medal at Whitehall on 27 November 1944. ¹

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A heavy roof fall at Newlands Colliery, Kenfig Hill, in September 1944 trapped two colliers; the…”
• Roof Fall (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A heavy roof fall at Newlands Colliery, Kenfig Hill, in September 1944 trapped two…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) Medals — Welsh Coal Mines — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Newlands Colliery - Northern Mine Research Society — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Edward Medal Recipients — Mines Rescue History

Record created: 1 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026