Benjamin Gimbert GC (6 February 1903 – 6 May 1976) was a British engine driver with the

London and North Eastern Railway The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) was the second largest (after London, Midland and Scottish Railway, LMS) of the "Big Four (British railway companies), Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain. It ope ...

and a recipient of both the

George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational Courage, gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, ...

and the Order of Industrial Heroism. Alongside fireman James Nightall, Gimbert was recognised for saving an ammunition train from a fire on 2 June 1944 during the Soham rail disaster.

Early life

Gimbert was born on 6 February 1903 in Ely (now in Cambridgeshire), the son of farm labourer George William Gimbert and his wife Florence. He married in 1926 and by 1939 was living in

March March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 2 ...

George Cross

The citation for the award of Gimbert's

reads: Gimbert was also awarded the Order of Industrial Heroism, a private civil award given by the '' Daily Herald'' newspaper, and the LNER's silver medal for Courage and Resource. In 1953 he received the

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal () is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir from the Queen to members of the Royal Family ...

Memorials

Gimbert died on 6 May 1976 and was buried in Eastwood Cemetery in March. In 1984, his medals were bought by March Town Council and are on permanent loan to March Museum alongside some shrapnel removed from his body. On 28 September 1981 two

British Rail Class 47 The British Rail Class 47 or Brush Type 4 is a class of diesel-electric locomotive that was developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction. A total of 512 Class 47s were built at Brush's Falcon Works in Loughborough and at British Railways' Crewe Wo ...

locomotives were named in honour of the two railwaymen: No. 47577 was named "Benjamin Gimbert, GC" and No. 47579 "James Nightall, GC". The nameplate "Benjamin Gimbert GC" was transferred to 47 574 in July 1987 at Stratford depot. It remained on this locomotive for 10 years. On 2 June 2004 new "Benjamin Gimbert GC" nameplates were applied to Class 66 077 at Whitemoor yard (March). Also the Norfolk Green bus company have named

Optare Solo The Switch Solo (formerly sold as the Optare Solo) is a low-floor minibus/midibus with one or two doors manufactured by Switch Mobility in the United Kingdom since 1998. The Solo name is a play on its low-floor status, the manufacturer marketin ...

617 (MX55WCV) after Gimbert.

References

External links

2 June 1944 Soham Rail Disaster
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gimbert, Benjamin 1903 births 1976 deaths British train drivers British recipients of the George Cross People from Ely, Cambridgeshire People from March, Cambridgeshire Recipients of the Order of Industrial Heroism London and North Eastern Railway people Burials in Cambridgeshire