Plaque unveiled for train driver killed in WW2

A plaque has been unveiled at a railway station in East Sussex for a train driver who was killed while operating a service in the region during World War Two.

The plaque at Bishopstone Station is to commemorate Southern's Charles Henry Pattenden, 59, from Tunbridge Wells, who was killed on 3 July 1940 in his line of duty when a German Luftwaffe plane opened fire on the 17:37 train from Seaford.

Mr Pattenden's surviving relatives, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren, were there to reveal the plaque which was installed by the Friends of Bishopstone Station (FOBS).

Ivor Pattenden, grandson of Mr Pattenden, said: "It was a great success and a few tears were shed."

Graham Moore, FOBS's director, put out an online appeal for information about the attack, and Ivor Pattenden attended an event in the restored community space at the station.

Mr Moore said the steam train had departed from Seaford and was passing through Bishopstone Beach Halt on its way to Horsted Keynes.

As the train drove past the halt for the exposed Tide Mills stretch of the line, the German Dornier bomber opened fire on it with machine guns.

The aircraft then delivered its load of six bombs, which exploded not far from the halt.

Although the train was directly hit by the bombs, it had blast damage with most, if not all, of the glass being shattered and the wooden frame and panels splintering.

Splinters struck Mr Pattenden and caused a serious injury and he died shortly afterwards.

Mr Pattenden was buried in Tunbridge Wells.

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