George Meegan is one of the people celebrated with a wall display in the Railway Pub in Rainham giving details of his epic walk across America in the 1980s. He walked for 6 years covering an incredible 30432 kilometers from the southern tip of South America to Alaska.
I think many readers of Action Forum, and certainly his many friends in Rainham, will have heard of George Meegan, one of Rainham’s most famous residents. I first met George during my last year of junior school at Wakeley Road, 1962. I joined for that last year as my parents had returned from Malta where my dad worked in the dockyard. We struck up a great friendship straightaway which continued through secondary school at Rainham Boys.
We have remained friends all our lives. George led a fantastically varied life, too incredible to give details here, but people who know will know! He was most famous for walking the length of America, documented in his book, ‘The Longest Walk’. He married Yoshiko during this walk and had two children Ayumi and Geoffrey, eventually settling in Japan where he taught English. Unfortunately, his marriage didn’t work out and he returned home to Taswell Road until poor health led him to Marlborough House in Rainham four years ago.
His health continued to deteriorate and, following a stroke and fall early this year, is in a residential home in Burnley, near Ayumi and his grandchildren, who visit regularly. Sadly, George barely recognises family or friends although, when I spoke to him in the summer, he said immediately where I lived so some recognition is there. I thought George’s many Rainham friends would like to be informed and I have his address if anyone wishes to write. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., telling me how you know George, and I will give you the home’s address.
Regards, Alan Crowde
Update: 12 Jan 2024 from Jim Hattersley
Your action forum 597 arrived today and I noticed the article about George. Things have moved rapidly since you went to print. Poor George died on Wednesday 10th January 2024 after contracting pneumonia. Best known for his 19,000 mile walk up through the Americas, from Tierra del Fuego to the north shores of Alaska, George deserves some kind of permanent recognition to keep his memory alive. This is currently being investigated. His daughter will set up a crowd funding page when designs and permissions etc are sorted out. He will be greatly missed by those that knew him. Hopefully, with enough people 'banging the drum' we will ensure that George will 'live on'.
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Action Forum magazine number 593 , September 2023. Cover picture is of Anchorians War Memorial plaque in their clubhouse in Gillingham Kent. Can you help with any history of the names?
ADLAM, LFP ANDERSON, IM ATKINSON, R BARRETT, KA BAYS, HJ BEACON, PJ BEET, CH BERRY, AF BLACK, WR BONFIELD, GM BRYANT, GJD BRYANT, K CAHILL, JWJ CAPON, PJ CASH, FAH CHISHOLM, JNF CHURCH, CAJ CLEMETT, JA CURTIS, MG DAVIS, DL DICKIE, AM EDWARDS, DW GLYNN, GR GLYNN, KA EMMETT, BR ENWRIGHT, CJ FARAHAR, RAJ FORD, CR FOWLER, DC FRASER, TJ GAY, LC GILBERT, EG HELLENBURGH, AJ HESTER, AH HUNTER, WAW JAMES, GTP JONES, T LITTLE, AW LONG, SR LOVELL, VC McLAUGHLIN, EA McLEAN, W MERRALLS, PE MOON, GE MOUNTAIN, RO NEEDHAM, FJ NORMAN, AJ PEARCE, NF PRATT, CH RAMSHAW, JE RICHARDSON, KR RYAN, J SEAGER, IC SHARMAN, PR SMITH, E H SMITH, FA STONEMAN, RT SUTHERLAND, JS TAYLOR, CW TIBBS, R WAITT, WT WILKINSON, ER WILLIS, JA WILSON, LR WINDER AJ
I should be grateful if information would be sent to me This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Sgt H N HOWES DFM 740896
Harold Norman Howes was born in Gillingham, Kent on 24th December 1915. He joined the RAFVR about December
1937 as an Airman u/t Pilot and was called up on 1st September 1939. He joined 213 Squadron, coded AK, on 7th
September and was serving with 85 Squadron in France in May 1940. On the 20th he damaged a Do17 of KG77 (4)?
but was then shot down in Hurricane P2555 by Me110s and crash-landed near Abbeville. He was unhurt and the
Hurricane was abandoned.
On 18th August 1940 he destroyed two Me110s and damaged a Do17, on the 31st got a probable Do17 and on 1st
September he shared another Do17 and damaged a Me109.
Posted to 605 Squadron, coded UP, at Croydon on 12th September, Howes destroyed a Do17 and probably another
on the 15th, destroyed a Me109 on 12th October, damaged Me109's on 1st and 2nd November and destroyed two on
the 10th and 15th.
He was awarded the DFM (gazetted 25th October 1940). Citation; During the period of intensive operations in
France, Sergeant Howes destroyed four enemy aircraft. In August, 1940, he took part in attacks against large
enemy formations. He personally destroyed two Messerschmitt 110s and one Dornier 17, and severely damaged
several others. Sergeant Howes has proved himself a brave and determined pilot.
Howes was shot down by a Me109 on 1st December in Hurricane V6844, he made a crash-landing on Gravesend
aerodrome. He was unhurt and the Hurricane was later repaired.
He was posted back to 85 Squadron, coded VY, on 9th December 1940 the squadron now flying night flying
Hurricanes from RAF Gravesend. He took off for a routine night patrol at 17.15hrs on the night of the 22 nd . He was
recalled when the weather began to deteriorate, he was killed when he apparently lost control of Hurricane I V6679,
perhaps due to icing crashing at Cuxton, Kent.
Howes was 24. He is buried in St Margaret's churchyard, Rainham, Kent.
http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=18649.0
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This was supplied by Paul Stephens
Just a quick Image of My Grandfather notice in the local paper of his death mentioned two Rainham institutes in the Coop and Walkley brothers. Can’t believe he started working at 10 yeas old on the farm.
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