Blue plaque to commemorate bombing raid victim

A COMMEMORATION plaque is to be unveiled in recognition of the only victim of the Second World War Thatcham bombing raids.

The Blue Plaque will sit on Urquhart Road, which was named after the victim Lieut Col Vernon Watkins Urquhart, pictured right.

An unseen photograph of Lt Col Urquhart has recently been discovered ahead of a blue plaque unveiling in his name.

Thatcham Town Council’s heritage working party has made contact with Lt Col Urquhart‘s granddaughter, who shared the photo of him.

The public plaque unveiling will fall on Sunday, October 23, at 11am starting at the Burdwood Community Centre – formerly Lt Col Urquhart’s front garden, where he was standing when he died.

Lt Col Urquhart, who was the commanding officer of General Stores G45, an ordnance depot west of Thatcham Station supplying ammunition to air bases around West Berkshire, died on the night of August 16, 1940.

These facilities became a priority for Nazi Germany and Thatcham was hit harder than Newbury in the summer of 1940.

Lt Col Urquhart was the only Thatcham casualty. He was on home service, which caused a problem in recording his death by enemy action. The local registry office presumed the death certificate would be processed by the army, and the army thought the local registrar would do it.

From the Burdwood Centre the group will make their way down to 141 Station Road where the official plaque will be unveiled by the Mayor of Thatcham and Lt Col Urquhart’s granddaughter.

They will then make their way back to the Burdwood Community Centre for refreshments.

This site was chosen as a result of a public consultation released earlier this year when Thatcham resident and NWN reporter Mirek Gosney nominated Lt Col Urquhart.

The plaque will read: “Here stood 141 Station Road damaged in a bombing raid on 16th August 1940 killing the Commanding Officer of Thatcham Ordnance Depot, G45 Lt-Col VW Uquhart MC, Thatcham Town Council 2022” – in accordance with the Commemorative Plaque Scheme Project Outline document.