Heroes of the Soham rail disaster remembered

The heroism of two men who diverted a train full of explosives from a town will be remembered at special anniversary exhibitions.

Benjamin Gimbert was the driver of a train pulling 44 wagons of high explosives through Soham in Cambridgeshire on 2 June 1944 when fire broke out on board.

Fireman James Nightall uncoupled the blazing munitions wagon from the rest, and was killed when the cargo pulled by the train exploded.

Soham Museum will be telling their story as part of its "Soham's Historic Characters" exhibition at Wicken fete - and March and District Museum have a permanent display to Gimbert, including the George Cross he was awarded for his actions.

Gimbert was badly injured in the explosion but survived. He died on 6 May 1976.

A new photographic slide presentation will be running at the March and District Museum - marking 50 years since his death.

The town of Soham commemorates the disaster every five years, and a memorial was installed to mark the 80th anniversary in 2024.

Train driver Gimbert and fireman James Nightall were staffing a 51-wagon ammunition train, leaving Whitemoor marshalling yard in March at 00:15 BST on 2 June 1944 - bound for Ipswich.

Forty-four of the wagons were packed with 250lb (113kg) and 500lb (226kg) bombs. Fire broke out on the first wagon behind the engine as the train was travelling through Soham.

Nightall got out of the engine and, with train guard Herbert Clarke, uncoupled the blazing munitions wagon from the rest, in a bid to drive it out of town.

Nightall and Soham signalman Frank Bridges were killed when the bombs detonated.

Historian Donna Martin, from Soham Museum, was part of a team who installed a memorial to the 1944 disaster in the town in 2024.

"It takes one 125lb (56kg) bomb to demolish a 20-storey tower block," she said.

"22,000lb (9.8 tonnes) of explosives went off when that one wagon exploded."

Thirteen homes were demolished, many people were injured and repairs to the 800 damaged buildings went on for three years, but it was likely the town would have been destroyed were it not for the men's actions that night.

Nightall (posthumously) and Gimbert were awarded the George Cross for their efforts.

Martin said: "Gimbert is always spoken of in fond terms; a quiet man, who was proud to represent his colleagues, and who never forgot their sacrifice, and who wore his medals with pride for only that reason – to represent others," she said.

She added that Gimbert may have been a "humble man", but for the town of Soham, "he represents its whole existence".

Soham Museum will be telling the whole story as part of the "Soham's Historic Characters" exhibition this year at Wicken Fete, and St Andrew's Church Heritage Fair in Soham.

Irene Bates, chair of March and District Museum, said: "The Soham rail incident and Ben Gimbert's role in averting catastrophic disaster remain a significant part of March's wartime history and an enduring legacy to be remembered."

Soham today might look very different had it not been for his heroism, she added.

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