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Emrys Hughes: 'We had to go to the mines - we had no choice'

While thousands of Allied troops fought across Europe, many others stayed at home to work vital jobs throughout World War Two.

Emrys Hughes was sent to work down the Llay-main colliery in Wrexham - a job that proved to be "very dangerous".

"Some used to get hurt badly," he said. "It happened all the time."

Despite the gruelling work and long hours, Emrys and the 'Bevin Boys' often faced the stigma of being seen as conscientious objectors.

"We had no choice. We had to go."

We Were There aims to collect as many first-hand accounts as possible by 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, to preserve veterans' accounts for future generations.

The BBC is currently working on the project with a number of partners including the Normandy Memorial Trust and Royal British Legion. Some of the stories collected may be shared with our partners and used on BBC News platforms.

If you have a story to share, or know someone who does, please click here to tell us a little bit more or use one of the methods below.

Do you or someone you know have memories of World War Two? Please share these experiences by emailing [email protected].

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: