Plaque honours trio killed in Halesworth station bombing

The new plaque in memory of the victims of the bombing of Halesworth train station. PHOTO: Nick Butcher (Image: ©archant2016)

Station master Herbert Holland, his wife Hannah, and their maid Joan Clarke were the only civilian casualties of the war. They died on January 18, 1941.

And on Monday, plaques were unveiled at the Halesworth and District Museum bearing their names, as well as other people killed on the local railway.

The plaques also commemorate Edward Court, 17, killed on the Southwold Railway in 1883, Thomas Cleveland, 11, caught between the railway gates and the post at Halesworth in 1892 and Harry Girling, station master at Wenhaston who was killed in 1926 during shunting operations.

Chairman of the museum Brian Howard said: “I think it started off with the Hollands and Miss Clarke who died in the bombing but when you start to remember one person, you realise there are other people too.

“It’s worth remembering how people lived and died on the railway line.

“I hope the plaques will engage people in the history of the town. It might be ancient history, but it happened, and to people who were all from the district.

“It’s important to remember those things happened.”

Present to see the plaque being unveiled was Mr and Mrs Holland’s grandson Robin Vickery, who lives in Ipswich.

“I always think remembrance is so important,” he said. “I’ve come across quite a few people in the surrounding areas who can remember the station being bombed, and it’s important that we keep the remembrance going.

“You hear a lot about people in the services who have been killed, but not so much about civilians.

“I’m very grateful to the Halesworth and District Museum for arranging this commemoration.”

Do you have a Halesworth story? Email polly.grice@archant.co.uk