Liberal Democrats commemorate the 64th anniversary of the Bethnal Green Tube disaster

12.51.26pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 4th Mar 2007

Plaque commemorating the disaster at the entrance to the tube

On the 3rd March 1943 the worst civilian disaster of the Second World War occurred when 173 men, women and children died of suffocation as the crowd of 1500 people panicked while entering the air raid shelter which is now Bethnal Green Underground station.

Liberal Democrat Councillors, Azizur Rahman Khan, Stephanie Eaton and Tim O'Flaherty with a traditional Eastender after the memorial service.

Liberal Democrats joined with survivors, relatives of those who died, local people, and representatives of the emergency services to remember this tragedy and to pay tribute to the sacrifices of civilians during war time. The names of all 173 victims were read in an emotional service in the nearby Church of St John, Bethnal Green.

A campaign is now underway to erect a permanent memorial to the disaster.

Although there is still some controversy over the events surrounding the crush, further information can be obtained at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/homeground/archive/2003/bethnal-green-tube-disaster.shtml