Plaque | War served, Civilian war dead | WW2

Plaistow Road WW2 air attack

Erection date: 2013

Inscription

In memory of five members of the Beckenham Auxiliary Fire Service and one West Ham Auxiliary Fireman killed by enemy action in World War II near this site on the night of 19th/20th March 1941.

Fm. Charles Wesley Drew Beckenham
Fm. Dennis Gerald Fitzgerald Beckenham
Fm. Frederick Walter Moore Beckenham
Fm. Leslie John Palmer Beckenham
Fm. Stanley Short Beckenham
Fm. Harold George Hugget West Ham

In memory also of Chief Officer Cyril Demarne OBE, West Ham Fire brigade and National Fire Service 1925 - 1955.
And with thanks to After the Battle Publications
AFS Beckenham
AFS West Ham
© FR 2013

Our colleague Andrew Behan points out the following errors on this plaque: Fitzgerald's first name should have only one 'n'; Short was a 'Leading Fireman'; Huggett's surname should have two 't's. The Beckenham firemen are also commemorated on a plaque at Beckenham Fire Station, where the details are correct.

We agree with Andrew that the errors are regrettable and the inclusion of Demarne and the publishers is questionable. 

Site: Plaistow Road WW2 air attack (1 memorial)

E15, Plaistow Road, 163

We have found very little information about the event that caused the death of these 6 firemen in 1941. Normally someone, such as a local history group, has researched the event and published the details on the web. However, the obvious question (why were 5 firemen from Beckenham here on this night?) is answered at Newham Story forum: the five Coney Hall, Beckenham, men comprised the crew of a pump, one of a convoy on the way to a fire at Silvertown.

Our colleague, Andrew, also discovered that a seventh fireman died at this event: Arthur James Goreham. He was from the West Ham station and was buried with his friend, Harold George Huggett, at the City of London Cemetery.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Plaistow Road WW2 air attack

Subjects commemorated i

The Blitz

During WW2 Britain came under heavy bombing from Germany for 8 months, 1940-1...

Read More

World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do vis...

Read More

Cyril Demarne

Born Poplar.  A firefighter in WW2 he became Chief Officer of the West Ham Fi...

Read More

Charles Wesley M. Drew

Fireman killed as a result of an air raid on Plaistow Road, E15 on 19 March 1...

Read More

Denis Gerald Fitzgerald

Auxiliary Fireman Denis Gerald Fitzgerald was born on 20 June 1912 in Croydon...

Read More

Show all 9

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Plaistow Road WW2 air attack

Created by i

Auxiliary Fire Service / AFS

The Auxiliary Fire Service was formed in 1938 as part of the Civil Defence Se...

Read More

After the Battle Publications

Publishers of books and magazines about military history.

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Lord Reith - SW1

Lord Reith - SW1

SW1, Barton Street, 6

The plaque is located on the side of the building in Cowley Street. 2024: The Daily Mail reports that the house is for sale, with lots o...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Sir Raymond Unwin - purple

Sir Raymond Unwin - purple

NW3, North End, Wyldes

In 2022 Philip Broke told us that the plaque on this house is blue not purple. We revisited and we have added our photo here. The blue pl...

2 subjects commemorated
WW2 - Westminster

WW2 - Westminster

NW1, Marylebone Road, Westminster Council House

15 August is the official VJ Day in the UK so erecting this plaque on Wednesday 16th was perverse.

3 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Sidney & Beatrice Webb

Sidney & Beatrice Webb

NW3, Netherhall Gardens, 10

Sidney Webb (1859 - 1947) and Beatrice Webb (1858 - 1943) social scientists and political reformers, lived here. Greater London Council

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Fulham 2000

Fulham 2000

SW6, Stevenage Road, Craven Cottage

The plaque is between the windows on the ground and first floor.

2 subjects commemorated