A statue commemorating Sergeant Job Drain VC has been erected in Barking (via The Victoria Cross):
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.
Drain, a resident of Barking died in 1975. In autumn 2009, the present statue was erected on the Broadway. A blue heritage plaque was also erected at his last residence in Greatfields Road.
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.