New blue plaques have been installed at an East Yorkshire railway station honouring two men who saved countless lives when a bomb hit a nearby yard during the Second World War.

Railway men Arthur Harrison and George Whitehurst were at Bridlington railway yard on July 11, 1941, as an unexpected raid by a German bomber caused devastation on nearby Hilderthorpe Road. Five people died as blasts destroyed buildings.   

A bomb dropped on the railway yard and caused a train carriage full of ammunition to burst into flames.

The railway men ran to the scene and fought the blaze. Thankfully, they extinguished it and saved many lives of people in nearby buildings.   

Gazette & Herald: The blue plaques at Bridlington railway stationThe blue plaques at Bridlington railway station (Image: Northern)

They battled the blaze alongside ticket collector Ernest Barker.

A blue plaque is already in place for Ernest Barker but local historian Richard Jones discovered more about the story which detailed the two other men’s involvement.

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The men became some of the first people to receive the new George Medal – awarded for conspicuous gallantry not in the presence of the enemy.

Representatives from Northern, which runs Bridlington railway station, and members of the community, including the British Legion, Network Rail and the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership attended a celebration at the station, where the additional tributes were unveiled to Arthur Harrison and George Whitehurst. 

Kerry Peters, regional director at Northern, said: “We are so pleased to be able to pay tribute to these local heroes and the heritage of Bridlington station. 

"A special thank you to historian Richard Jones for his tireless research.”