Final commemoration planned for those who lost their lives in Bilsthorpe Colliery disaster of August 1993
A commemoration service to remember miners lost to a pit disaster is to take place in the coming days for the last time.
Colleagues of the men say they now grow fewer and too old to routinely organise a memorial gathering, so have decided this year, the 30th anniversary will be the last.
It was on August 18, 1993, that a roof collapsed killing 26-year old Bill McCulloch, from Rainworth, 50-year-old Peter Alcock and an under-manager, 31-year-old David Shelton, from Blyth.
A team from the Mansfield-based Mines Rescue Service searched for survivors.
A 1994 report was produced by HM Inspectorate of Mines. The disaster was caused by unsafe roof bolting.
The morning shift was just clocking on when tragedy struck just before 11am as development workers were digging a tunnel through to a new seam of coal.
They were nearly 2,000ft underground and four miles from the bottom of the shaft when the roof fell in.
The three were killed when the roof of the tunnel they were working collapsed.
Incredibly pitmen Orest Kocij, Paul Smith and Russell Turner survived, despite being trapped by 7,000 tonnes of collapsed rock 2,300ft underground.
Mines Rescue Service worked quickly to drill through the debris to get an air supply through to the men.
Two were rescued by around midnight.
Stories of incredible bravery, endurance and teamwork followed. In 1995, under-manager Shelton posthumously received the George Medal for forgoing his own chance for survival in his efforts to warn his colleagues.
On Friday, August 18, 30 years on to the day and the time of the disaster, a service led by the vicar of Bilsthorpe will take place at 11am at the top of the lane that led to the former colliery where flowers will be laid.
Afterwards, people can go to the Bilsthorpe Miners Welfare.
Although this is the last memorial service planned, it is hoped that donations towards the cost of laying flowers in forthcoming years can be achieved.
Steve Crane, 69, an ex-miner from Newark, is one of the organisers of the commemoration, having been on shift that fateful day and knowing well all of those involved.
Hours turned to days for Mr Crane and others as they sought to reach their trapped friends and colleagues, with Mr Crane organising rescue efforts from above ground.
Such was the affect of the disaster on the Bilsthorpe community, that hundreds of people attended the last commemoration service five years ago.
Mr Crane said it was a sad that this would be the last commemoration, but having recently attended the funeral of one of those trapped miners plucked to safety, he said there were fewer and fewer people left with a direct connection to the disaster and those involved.
A bus is being laid on for ex-miners wishing to attend, for further information on that, contact Mr Crane on 07917 392814.
Anyone with a connection to that particular pit, others, the mining industry, the men involved, or who simply wishes to pay their respects, is welcome to attend.
The Bilsthorpe Pit opened in 1925 and operated continuously until its closure in 1997. Many of those that worked there became lifers in the industry and a large number remained living in the area after either retiring or after the pit shut. In all, 77 people died during the colliery’s period of operation.
