Bridlington: Campaign to honour George Medal heroes who saved wounded soldier during wartime raid

Earlier this year a blue plaque went up at the town’s railway station to honour the courage displayed by ticket collector Ernest Barker. Barker sprang into action, with Arthur Harrison and George Whitehurst, when an enemy plane dropped bombs on July 11 1940. The men hauled a wounded soldier from a burning ammunition wagon in which shells were exploding and tried to rescue another man - but he was dead. The fire spread to other wagons - one containing live ammunition - but the three "played hoses on the flames while shells burst continuosly".

Author Richard Jones ran the campaign to have Mr Barker recognised and is now seeking sponsorship to raise £600 to pay for plaques for the two railway workers. He wants it “remembered for what it was - a miraculous escape from destruction by three men who put their own safety last and in doing so saved countless lives." Mr Jones is writing a history of wartime Bridlington and hopes relatives come forward so he can tell their story. He said: "A previous appeal for Ernest's relatives came up with nothing so unfortunately there is very little to say who he was and what sort of a person he was. I very much hope to at least tell the story of the lives of Arthur and George."