Sir Eustace Missenden, Chairman, Railway Executive 1948-51, greeting George Henry Leach G.M. (Ref: 010351)
Sir Eustace, on the left of the photograph, was General Manager of the Southern Railway from 1941 and Chairman of the Railway Executive upon nationalisation of the railways, a post he held until 1951. This photograph was taken at the naming ceremony of Battle of Britain class loco 34090, named in his honour at Waterloo on 15 February 1949.
He is shaking hands with George Henry Leach, Permanent Way Lengthman. Southern Railway who, with George Frederick Keen, Sub-Ganger, was awarded the George Medal for their heroic action in saving a blazing ammunition train of some fifty wagons at Tongham on the night of 22 August 1940. The train was one of a number that were normally kept on the move around the south of England, standing by in case the threatened German invasion happened. Whether by luck or judgment, a lone raider caught the train in a siding, setting the first two trucks of the train on fire by a shower of incendiary bombs. George Keen and George Leach organized the rescue operation, aided by firemen, soldiers, policemen, fellow railway men and local people and, over a two hour period during which the burning wagons were exploding and debris was shooting in all directions, they managed to uncouple the untouched trucks and manhandle them to safety. Had they not been successful the fire could have taken greater hold on the train and the resulting explosion and fires could have devastated the village and area for miles around. Both men acted quite regardless of their own safety and at very considerable personal risk.
He is shaking hands with George Henry Leach, Permanent Way Lengthman. Southern Railway who, with George Frederick Keen, Sub-Ganger, was awarded the George Medal for their heroic action in saving a blazing ammunition train of some fifty wagons at Tongham on the night of 22 August 1940. The train was one of a number that were normally kept on the move around the south of England, standing by in case the threatened German invasion happened. Whether by luck or judgment, a lone raider caught the train in a siding, setting the first two trucks of the train on fire by a shower of incendiary bombs. George Keen and George Leach organized the rescue operation, aided by firemen, soldiers, policemen, fellow railway men and local people and, over a two hour period during which the burning wagons were exploding and debris was shooting in all directions, they managed to uncouple the untouched trucks and manhandle them to safety. Had they not been successful the fire could have taken greater hold on the train and the resulting explosion and fires could have devastated the village and area for miles around. Both men acted quite regardless of their own safety and at very considerable personal risk.
ROMA ID: 010351E