brief testimonial
The night of August 22 1940, George Henry Leach was at home. It was nearing midnight when he heard aircraft overhead, then a deafening explosion. George observing the flames from his window took to his bicycle and set out to cycle the two miles to the scene. A lengthman with the Southern Railway Company (SR), it perhaps came as no surprise that a train had been hit - a train with as many as fifty wagons drew into a siding some ten days before, each truck packed full of ammunition destined for the RAOC.
When George Leach arrived at the site, he looked up to see his work-mate George Keen2 amongst the flames attempting to push the trucks. George, a sub-ganger, was trying to uncouple the burning trucks in order to push them away from the rest of the explosives, but his efforts weren't successful and they had no option but to gather a work party before unhooking them one by one from the other end, pushing away from the burning carriages.
With munitions exploding, debris shooting in all directions, and regardless of personal safety, George Keen, George Leach and those mustered to help, including members of the local Fire Services, Home Guard, and soldiers attached to a Salvage Unit nearby, placed themselves in great danger to save the lives of others. At least three wagons were totally destroyed, but it's believed as many as 42 carriages, and the lives of countless people, were saved.
George Frederick William Keen, George Henry Leach, and two military personnel, were awarded George Medals for the part that they played on the night of 22, early hours of 23 August 1940. George Keen summoned to attend the investiture at Buckingham Palace on 27 May 1941 to receive his medal from King George VI, sadly died in Guildford hospital just two days before it was to take place, aged just 43. George Henry Leach died in January 1994, aged 91.
