This year, the Friends of Beeston Station (FOBS) marked Remembrance Day with a display about the railway men who joined the armed forces in World War 1.
Beeston Station and Beeston Sidings were once thriving operations employing far more people than they do today. Although a reserved occupation, a number of railway men from Beeston volunteered to fight in the war or were later conscripted.
Sarah Hampton, Secretary of FOBs and co-ordinator of the project, said: ‘This has been an interesting piece of work, which we may develop further in future years. We know that many local men joined the armed forces and of these, at least 16 worked at Beeston Station or the Sidings. We have included information about two of them who died in the war’.
The two men who died were Rifleman Harry Barnes and Lance Corporal Arthur Charles Russell. Both were awarded posthumous military decorations, and their names can be seen on the memorials in St John’s Church, Beeston.
The display also includes 170 ‘recycled’ red poppies representing all those soldiers from Beeston who died in the war.
FOBS would welcome information about men and women associated with Beeston Station between 1914 and 1918, which they might be able to include in their display next year.
‘It would be good to know more about those who worked at the station and either kept the railways running or fought in the war.’ Sarah said. ‘Any family memories would be interesting’.
If you have any information, please contact FOBS at [email protected].