On Wednesday, Shadow Home Secretary and Epsom MP Chris Grayling paid tribute to Sergeant Thomas Green, bludgeoned to death in Epsom 90 years ago as he tried to defend Epsom Police Station against 700 rioting Canadian soldiers.
The MP unveiled a plaque at 5 Ashley Road, Epsom, where Epsom Police Station once stood and which is now occupied by a chiropodists’ practice.
The mayor, Councillor Jan Mason, attended the ceremony and watched as children from Epsom Primary School laid flowers under the plaque.
Ninety years ago, many policemen who were called to deal with the riot had children at the school where, after the fatal events, a collection was taken to buy flowers for Sgt Green’s funeral.
Yesterday’s ceremony started with a talk by Tim Richardson, historian, author and former policeman, on the sequence of events at the end of the First World War that led to Sgt Green’s death.
The riot started when the soldiers, camped at Woodcote waiting to be sent home to Canada, marched into Epsom with the aim of releasing a comrade who had been arrested for drunkeness.
After the plaque unveiling ceremony the mayor opened an exhibition at the Methodist church hall, opposite the site of the former police station.
It included pictures and descriptions of the riot provided by Bourne Hall Museum and watches presented by Lord Rosebery to the police officers who defended the police station.
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