A sweet tribute..

Salute to factory worker on mint tins

firm. Company founder William Santus

A SWEET factory worker who gave told the Government: “Although

the Nazis plenty to chew over has Bennett is so young he is at the present

been immortalised on a tin of mints. time the most vital person I have.”

The late Tommy Bennett’s name and The mints – much loved by British photo are on the containers of treats troops – were so popular that Tommy being sold by his old firm for the 75th was granted a six-month leave of anniversary of VE Day. absence from the RAF to

He was a sugar boiler train a replacement. at the Uncle Joe’s Mint After the war, Tommy Balls factory for around returned to the factory, 50 years, with his only retiring in 1989. He also gap being from 1942 to helped expats reunite 1945 to fight Hitler in with long-lost relatives. the Second World War. He died in 2002 aged 78.

The former RAF flight John Winnard, from engineer told colleagues: the firm in Wigan, “One week I was boiling Greater Manchester, toffee and the next I was said: “Tommy was bombing the enemy.” Uncle Joe’s through and

Now he can be seen in through. Even after he uniform on the special retired he would visit edition Tommy Tin. every Friday just to

The name also honours British make sure they were doing things right.” troops who were nicknamed Tommies. Some of the sales of the VE Day Mint

He started at the factory in 1938 aged Balls will go to armed forces charities. 14. When he was called up at 18 in 1942, he was the only sugar boiler left at the

GOING DOWN A BOMB Mint tin label featuring photo of RAF veteran Tommy in uniform

BOIL AIR FORCE Sugar boiler Tommy at work in 1950

TASTY The new mint balls tin