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    This image was created and shared by: John Bastock

    The image is free to reuse for non-commercial purposes under the IWM Non Commercial Licence. By downloading any images or embedding any media, you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is: © John Bastock (WMR-3449)

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Memorial details

Memorial type
Trophy / Relic
District
East Cambridgeshire
Town
Soham
County
Cambridgeshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War - civilians, VC or GC Recipients
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 1 June 1947
    Attended by: Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire (and Isle of Ely)
  • Unveiled
    Date: 8 June 1966
    Attended by: Mr K P Leonard; Driver Gimbert; Mr C H Clarke; Mr Nightall; Mr. Gordon Bridge; Mrs F Young.
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
3449

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Current location

Lodeside
Soham Village College
Sand Street
Soham
East Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
CB7 5AA
England

OS Grid Ref: TL 59482 72732
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Previous locations
  • Soham Railway Station (temporary)
    Soham
    East Cambridgeshire
    Cambridgeshire
    England

    OS Grid Ref: TL 587 732
    Denomination: Undefined
Description
Tablet with case below containing George Cross, London and North Eastern Railways medal and Order of Industrial Heroism medal. London and North Eastern Railway company insignia above text on the plaque. The original George Cross is now stored at Soham Museum whilst the other medals have been lost.
Inscription
LONDON AND NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY COMPANY/ THIS TABLET COMMEMORATES THE HEROIC ACTION/ OF FIREMAN J.W. NIGHTALL G.C., WHO LOST HIS/ LIFE, & DRIVER B. GIMBERT G.C. WHO WAS BADLY/ INJURED WHILST DETACHING A BLAZING WAGON/ FROM AN AMMUNITION TRAIN AT THIS STATION/ AT 1.43 AM ON JUNE 2ND 1944. THE STATION/ WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AND CONSIDERABLE/ DAMAGE DONE BY THE EXPLOSION. THE DEVOTION/ TO DUTY OF THESE BRAVE MEN SAVED THE/ TOWN OF SOHAM FROM GRAVE DESTRUCTION./ SIGNALMAN F. BRIDGES WAS KILLED WHILST ON/ DUTY & GUARD H. CLARKE SUFFERED FROM SHOCK./ "BE STRONG AND QUIT YOURSELVES LIKE MEN."
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Bridges, F
Clarke, H
Gimbert, B
Nightall, J W
See details for all 4 names
Commemorations
  • Second World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 4
    Served and returned: 2
    Died: 2
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname, date of death, place of death, manner of death, occupation, decorations
    Order of information: Undefined
  • VC or GC Recipients
    Total names on memorial: 2
    Served and returned: 1
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname, date of death, place of death, manner of death, occupation, decorations
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Tablet
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Reference
  • Image- www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/255992/
  • "LNER MAGAZINE" V. 37 NO.7 P.150 ( JULY 1947)
  • "RAILWAY GAZETTE" 20 JUNE 1947 V.86 P. 662
  • Book: "By Rail to Victory: The Story of the LNER in Wartime" By Norman Crump (Published by The London and North Eastern Railway, 1947) pp. 3-6
  • Magazine "STEAM RAILWAY", October, (c 1981) Pages 48 - 50: The day Soham blew up
  • www.soham.org/index.php/history/soham-railway-disaster-2nd-june-1944?limitstart=0
  • Newmarket Journal, Thursday, June 9, 1966: Plaque gets new home - Fireman's George Cross for College
  • Stories from a year - 1944: Railway heroes saved a town from disaster
  • Pamphlet: The "War Incident" at Soham - June, 2nd, 1944 - Price 6d. E M Waldock; P F Boughey. (Anita Brown Collection)

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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© WMR-3449

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