NEWS Shopper is launching an appeal to help mark the heroics of a group of men who saved their community from certain disaster.

Slade Green Community Forum is trying to raise £2,000 for a commemorative plaque to remember the night of April 16, 1941, when railway sidings in Slade Green were under heavy attack from incendiary bombs.

The area was targeted throughout the war because of its transport links and for the local armaments industry.

On the night in question, local volunteers were defending the area, men mainly drawn from the nearby rail repair depot.

Two Home Guardsmen, Charlie Sayers and Fred Deadman, realised six wagons loaded with Thames Ammunition Company bombs were on fire and about to explode.

The Home Guard unit, led by Sergeant Alf Reardon, started to tackle the blazing wagons. Fred Deadman tried to use an engine to pull the coaches away but found the current had been switched off.

Charlie Sayers and Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) volunteer Bobby Jeeves used a dustbin lid as a shield from the now-exploding shells and physically pushed one wagon out of harm’s way.

The wagon was later found to contain naval depth charges which, if they had been allowed to explode, would have razed much of Slade Green to the ground.

With the wagons well alight, the AFS and volunteer Air Raid Precautions (ARP) warden Peter Renton were trying to douse the flames.

As Bobby Jeeves and Renton moved forward, Renton was killed by flying shrapnel.

By 1am the fire was out and Slade Green had been saved from total oblivion by the brave actions of a few local men.

Several local men received commendations for their actions that night – Alf Reardon received a British Empire Medal for his overall contribution to the Home Guard, while Bobby Jeeves was awarded the George Medal. He never collected it, dying when his Royal Navy ship was torpedoed in 1943.

Slade Green Community Forum member Jill Davies, who is spearheading the campaign, said: “Slade Green has always been a poor area, but it is not poor in bravery.

"We want our children to know this is not a dead end place. We have had heroes in our past and we have lots of unsung heroes now and we should not forget them."

News Shopper editor Richard Firth said: “Nowadays, it’s difficult to relate to the courage these men showed. They were just volunteers and yet they were prepared to risk their lives to save others.

“The sum of £2,000 is such a modest amount when measured against what these men achieved that night and I’m sure News Shopper readers will show their customary generosity and get right behind this campaign.”

To make a donation, you can pay straight into the Slade Green Plaque Appeal’s bank account – account number 90992285, sort code 72-00-04 – or send a cheque, payable to Slade Green Community Forum (marking the back of the cheque ‘Plaque Appeal’) to 12 Plantation Road, Slade Green, DA8 2JB.

Call 01322 338491 for more details.

*Information in this article was drawn from AW Deller’s An Illustrated History of Slade Green Depot: From Steam to Networker.