Le Cateau - Broadway, Barking, London, UK - Relief Art Sculptures on Waymarking.com

At the bottom of, and part of the bronze casting, is an inscription that reads:

Le Cateau, France, 26th August 1914

On this day, the 37th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, had lost four of their six howitzer guns in action. Driver Job Drain was one of the soldiers who volunteered to recover the last of the guns. Under intense fire and showing disregard for his own safety, he drove his team of horses to within yards of the German lines, retrieving the last remaining gun thus preventing it from falling into enemy hands.

For this act of bravery he received the Victoria Cross.

In memory of the sons and daughters of Barking and Dagenham who fell in the Great War

The sculptor's website tells us:

Steven Hunter was commissioned by Barking and Dagenham Council to create a bronze statue of World War I soldier, Job Drain VC. It was unveiled before the local MP and Mayor on Armistice Day 2009.

Job Henry Charles Drain lived in Barking all his life and was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in World War I, when he was just 18 years old. Less than 1500 VCs have been awarded ever, and Drain received his after volunteering to assist his commanding officer in retrieving a much needed gun, despite it being 100 yards from the enemy position.

The Barking History website also tells us:

Job Henry Charles Drain (15th October 1895 - 26th July 1975)

Action for which the Victoria Cross was given: Le Cateau, France, 26 August 1914 (during the Great War, 1914-1918)

Job Drain lived at 42 Greatfields Road, Barking. He voluntered for the regular army in 1912, aged 17, as an alternative to unemployment. Drain served all four years of the First World War.

He won his Victoria Cross at the Battle of Le Cateau, in France, on 26 August 1914, while holding the rank of Driver in the 37th (Howitzer) Battery, Royal Field Artillery.

Job joined a group of soldiers who volunteered to save two artillery guns from the advancing enemy lines.

One of the carriages was shot down, but Job and two fellow soldiers brought one of the guns through, despite coming under heavy shell and rifle fire from the German infantry.

After the war Job had some difficulty getting back into civilian life. He worked as a messenger for government offices in Whitehall, then as a fish porter, a local bus driver and finally for the London Electricity Board. He passed away at his home in Barking, aged 79, on 26th July 1975, and was buried at Rippleside cemetery on 1st August 1975 (Grave R/S/U/158). His wife Patricia Cecilia Drain, who was born on 7th October 1899, was buried in the same grave, aged 81, on 13th March 1981. A son, Job Henry George Drain who died, aged 83, on 27th January 2005, was interred with his parents on 9th February 2005. A fine statue of Job Drain, dressed in army uniform, was erected outside the Broadway Theatre, Barking in November 2009.

The Victoria Cross website tells us:

A STATUE COMMEMORATING SERGEANT JOB DRAIN VC HAS BEEN ERECTED IN BARKING, ESSEX.
10 November 2009

The newly elected leader of Barking & Dagenham Council, Councillor Liam Smith, put forward an idea to commemorate the heroes of the Borough, first and foremost the Borough's Victoria Cross holders. As a result a local firm, Sculp-It Ltd, was commissioned to construct a statue of Sergeant Job Drain VC, Royal Field Artillery, who was born and lived in the Borough and following his death in 1975 was buried in the Barking's Rippleside Cemetery.

At a prestigious ceremony held on Tuesday, 10th November 2009, the two grandsons of Job Drain unveiled the statue to commemorate their grandfather which is located in front of the Broadway Theatre facing Barking Abbey Park. On the reverse of the statue base is a plaque depicting Job Drain's heroic action in saving the guns at Le Cateau, France, on 26th August 1914.

Other holders of the Victoria Cross who were also commemorated by Barking & Dagenham Council by the placing of blue plaques on houses where they lived, were, Colonel William Hope VC, Royal Fusiliers; Major The Rt Hon Sir Tasker Watkins VC, GBE, The Welch Regiment; Sergeant Job Drain VC, Royal Field Artillery.

Steven Hunter of Sculpt-It Ltd enlisted a model dressed in the exact uniform which Job Drain would have worn in 1914. Over a hundred images were then taken of the model and from these the statue was constructed taking six weeks to complete.

The British Expeditionary Force ( BEF ), a small force of tough well-trained professional soldiers, first saw action at Mons in Belgium in mid-August 1914. The British force of seventy thousand men and three hundred guns faced a far superior German force comprising a hundred and sixty thousand troops with six hundred guns. Forced to retreat under overwhelming odds, the BEF fell back, inflicting serious casualties on the Germans on the way. Numerous acts of heroism were performed by British troops during this period, one such incident occurred on the 26th August 1914.

The artillerymen of 37th Battery, Royal Field Artillery at Le Cateau, strove to limber up their guns in a hail of fire from enemy infantry, who were within 200 yards of the muzzles. Four of the six 37 Battery RFA's 4.5 inch howitzers were got away, but to recover the remaining two was a task that seemed suicidal.

Nevertheless, when Captain Douglas Reynolds asked for volunteers there was no shortage of men willing to take on the risk. Two teams galloped forward to what seemed like certain death. One was quickly shot down, but the other got to the gun position, wheeled round, limbered-up and brought one of the howitzers out of action, one of the drivers being hit in the process. Reynolds and Drivers Frederick Luke and Job Drain all received the Victoria Cross.

Reynolds, promoted to major, was killed in action on the Western Front on 23rd February 1916. Luke and Drain both became sergeants and survived the war.

For the award of the Victoria Cross.

[ London Gazette, 25 November 1914 ], Le Cateau, France, 26 August 1914, Driver Job Henry Charles Drain, 37th Bty., Royal Field Artillery.

With Driver Frederick Luke at Le Cateau on 26th August, as volunteers, helping to save guns under fire from hostile infantry who were 100 yards away.

Job Drain was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V in France on the 1st December 1914.

Job Drain died at his home in Barking, Essex, on the 26th July 1975, aged 79, and was buried in Rippleside Cemetery.

Medal entitlement of Sergeant Job Drain - 37th Bty., Royal Field Artillery

• Victoria Cross

• 1914 Star + clasp "5th Aug-22 Nov 1914"

• British War Medal ( 1914-20 )

• Victory Medal ( 1914-19 )

• King George VI Coronation Medal ( 1937 )

• Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal ( 1953 )