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THE WAR MEMORIAL
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Red Lion Square, Soham, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5HQ
Soham
War Memorial - Roll of Honour
Soham
Grammar School Memorial - Roll of Honour
For Valour Pro Patria
Be Thou Faithful Unto Death And I Will Give Thee A Crown Of Life
In Honoured Memory
of the men of Soham who gave their
lives for Liberty and Justice in the Great War 1914 - 1918
Unveiling the War Memorial on Sunday 23rd
January 1921
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Bglr F Allen |
Pte P Dennis |
Pte W Isaacson |
Pte F Peacock |
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A/B B W Aspland |
Lt C H Edmunds |
Pte C Jarrold |
Pte F H Peacock |
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Gnr J W Attlesey |
2nd Lt G V Edmunds |
Pte J Jobson |
Pte B Pendle |
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Pte C Audus |
Pte H Edwards |
Pte T H Johnson |
L/Cpl A Porter |
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Gnr S Audus |
Pte W Edwards |
Pte G W King |
Dvr B Powson |
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Pte R Aveley |
Pte J Elsden |
L/Cpl J W King |
Sgt A Reeve |
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Pte C Badcock (E Lancs) |
Pte H Fellingham |
Pte J King |
Pte J Reeve |
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Pte C Badcock (Suffolks) |
Pte E Fincham |
Pte R J Langley |
Cpl G F Robinson |
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Pte H Badcock |
Pte W T Fleet |
Pte E Leonard |
Sgt J W Rolfe |
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Pte A Bailey |
Pte C Fleming |
Pte F Leonard |
Pte F P Roote |
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Pte C Bailey |
Spr H W Fordham |
L/Cpl H Leonard |
L/Cpl B Rouse |
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Pte F Bailey |
Pte R Fordham |
Pte W H Lockwood |
Pte C Rouse |
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Pte A E Barber |
L/Cpl C Frost |
Pte G Long |
Pte C H Sargent |
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Pte J W Barber |
Pte A Gilbey (Suffolks) |
Pte A Mann |
Pte R H Sargent |
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L/Cpl T Beaumont |
Pte A Gilbey (R W Kents) |
L/Cpl C Mann |
Pte E G Shaw |
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Pte A Beeton |
Pte Art Gilbey |
Pte T E A Mann |
Lt W Shaw |
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Pte E Beeton |
Pte E Gilbey |
Pte F Martin |
Pte E Sizer |
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Cpl W R Beeton |
Gnr G Gilbey |
Pte W Martin |
Cpl G Sizer |
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Rfm Boyce |
L/Cpl H Gilbey |
L/Cpl W E Mason |
Pte R Sizer |
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L/Cpl E Brown |
Pte S Gilbey |
Capt C F Morbey |
Pte J Steadman |
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Pte F Brown |
Pte B Harlock |
Pte A Mothersole |
Pte H Steggles |
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L/Cpl R Brown |
L/Cpl H R Hart |
Pte B Munns |
Sdr A Stittle |
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L/Sgt W E Brown |
Rfm J G Hayhoe |
Cpl G Munns |
L/Cpl E B Stittle |
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Pte J Challis |
Pte J A Hitch |
Pte A Murfet |
Pte F Summers |
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Pte W Challis |
Pte A Hobbs |
Pte F Murfet |
Pte J Talbot |
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Cpl F Clark |
Pte T Hobbs |
Pte W Murfet |
Cpl J E Taylor |
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Pte G Clark |
Pte D Howard |
Pte F Newman |
Cpl H G Townsend |
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Pte J W Clark |
Cpl A J Howe |
Dvr B Norman |
Pte C Turner |
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Pte C S Clements |
Pte F Howe |
Pte W Norman |
Sgt J Webb |
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Sto A W Collinson |
Cpl A J Howlett |
Pte J R Nunn |
Pte A J Webber |
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Pte E Cook |
Pte C W Human |
Pte F Palmer |
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Pte H Darnell |
Cpl F T Isaacson |
Pte F Papworth |
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Greater Love Hath No Man Than This That A Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends
In Honoured Memory
of the men of Soham who gave their
lives for Liberty and Justice in the Second World War 1939 - 1945
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H V Ames |
J A Bull |
F Howe |
S Plumb |
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G J P Attlesey |
S W Clements |
W N Hunt |
F Rust |
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N Ashton |
A H Edwards |
M Hutt |
L L Smith |
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T Beaumont |
J Edwards |
J W Nunn |
J Steadman |
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E C Bridgeman |
V Edwards |
G Palmer |
W J Steggles |
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G F Bridges |
T R E Ennion |
G W Papworth |
S Summers |
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A J Bailey |
E Gilbey |
A A Peacock |
W E Turner |
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T W Brightwell |
S Gilbey |
E H Peacock |
G W White |
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A W Brown |
O C Hobbs |
S G Peacock |
G Whymer |
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F Brown |
S Hopkins |
E R Pearson |
G Wilson |
May they Rest in Peace
Soham Rail Disaster Interpretive Artwork
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Benjamin Gimbert G.C. Train Driver (1903 - 1976) |
James Nightall G.C. Fireman (1922 -1944) |
Frank Bridges Signalman (1896-1944) |
Herbert Clarke Guard (1885 -1976) |
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The forgotten wartime heroes who gave
their lives to save an entire town was recently celebrated with a
commemorative artwork. On 2nd June 1944, in Soham, fire broke out on the
lead wagon of a train carrying 400 tons of bombs to the East Coast in
preparation for D-Day. Only the bravery of four railway workers, two of
whom uncoupled the burning wagon and drove it to safety, spared the town
from total devastation. Driver Ben Gimbert miraculously survived as did
the Guard Herbert Clarke, but Engine Fireman Jim Nightall and Signalman
Frank Bridges were killed in a huge explosion flattening Soham station
and shattering windows as far away as Wicken.
Now the four heroes have been finally be commemorated, after decades of calls for
a permanent tribute, in an interpretive artwork which stands next to
The War Memorial in Red Lion
Square. The artwork
is the culmination of nine years of work by the
Soham Community History Museum,
which won a £15,000
Heritage Lottery Fund grant along with £10,000 in donations to
fund the project. It was officially unveiled by HRH The Duke of
Gloucester on Saturday 2nd June 2007 at
The War Memorial along with
relatives of Ben Gimbert, Jim Nightall and Frank Bridges attending. This
was followed by a Street Parade to
St. Andrew's
Church
and Service of Dedication by the Vicar of Soham, The Reverend Tim Alban
Jones MBE. There was also a 1940's themed Free Street Party on the
Recreation Ground, Fountain Lane which included a
Classic Vehicle Display, Free Children’s Activities, 1940’s Themed
Stalls, Museum Exhibition in The Pavilion, Music by The Eel Pie Folk
Band as well as free food and refreshments.
Donna Martin, Chairman of
Soham Community History Museum, said: "This is something that the
people of the town have wanted since 1944. We wanted to do something to
raise the profile of what happened and to do something for those brave
men. If they had not done what they did, Soham would not be here. These
men knew they would probably die."
East
Cambridgeshire District Council gave full planning permission for the
artwork and Cambridge stonemasons
Ivett & Reed created the monument, crafted from Portland
stone and topped with a bronze plaque, along with reproductions of
newly discovered photos of the disaster. While generations of Soham
children have learned of the men's heroism at school, wartime
restrictions preventing newspaper and radio reports from naming the town
limited the disaster's impact on the national consciousness. Mrs Martin
said: "This is a hugely positive thing for Soham. We wanted something
for the whole town, for tourists, for the children who learn about it -
something tangible for them to see. The disaster had massive national
significance - the railway line was one of the main lines of
communication in preparation for the D-Day landings." She praised the
help given by
Ivett & Reed,
the Royal British Legion in
Soham, the
Cambridgeshire Collection and
JK Memorials,
as well as thanking everyone in the town who has supported the project.
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Soham On
The Home Front - Programme 02/06/2007 |
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Soham On The Home Front - Programme 02/06/2007 |
On-Line Communities for current and Ex-servicemen and women from the RAF, Army and Royal Navy.
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