WW1 miners to be honoured in Wales art installation
There But Not ThereA pop-up art installation to honour Welsh miners who served in World War One has been installed at Big Pit National Coal Museum at Blaenavon.
The one-day exhibition launches a nationwide campaign to mark the centenary of the end of the Great War.
The installation comprises 6ft (1.8m) aluminium statues of Tommies, designed by artist Martin Barraud.
Smaller versions will then go on sale with the proceeds going to armed forces and mental health charities.
There But Not ThereDr Gerard Oram, director of the War and Society Programmes at Swansea University, said: "The contribution that miners made to the war effort cannot be understated.
"Their unique skills made them indispensable, but this came at a severe cost.
"This campaign is the perfect way to remember those heroes of the past and to engage the whole of Wales in a year of commemoration."
Welsh miners were a prized asset in World War One, with many used to dig trenches under enemy lines.
Those who did not meet the height requirement of 5ft 3in (1.6m) were signed up into bantam battalions so their skills could still be used.
The art works form part of an exhibition called "There But Not There".
In Wales, it focuses on soldiers who were miners, but it will also run across England and Scotland.
There But Not There