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War veteran faces losing home to HS2 rail line

Monday, 30 January 2012 9:55 AM

A Second World War veteran who helped protect the Arctic convoys is one of hundreds of people whose homes face demolition to make way for the HS2 high speed rail line near its Euston terminus in London.

While the plight of home owners in the Chilterns has been widely publicised, Stan Passmore, 85, is one of the lesser-known victims of the project who live on the Regent's Park council estate.

Stan Passmore, 85, faces losing his home of more than 50 years along with up to 400 other tenants and leaseholders as three blocks on the estate will be demolished.

They still do not know where they will be re-housed and ministers at the Department for Transport have so far refused requests to visit the estate.

Mr Passmore served in the Royal Navy during the war on HMS Cassandra protecting ships delivering vital wartime supplies on the dangerous route across the Arctic to the Soviet Union. On his third trip, his ship was hit by a torpedo and 66 of his crewmates died.

His family were bombed out of their home in Camden during the war and then evicted afterward. Mr Passmore moved into his home on the Regent's Park Estate in 1961.

He told the Camden New Journal that he understood that he would have to move. But he added: "We want a guarantee of new flats before our homes are destroyed and for our community to be able to stay together.

"I have known people here all my life. But no one has shown any interest in what we might want, and it feels like no one cares for us. They may not do anything for 10 years. I'll be 95 by then. I'd like to know where I am going to be."

The Department for Transport said that rebuilding Euston station would cause significant disruption but it was committed to working with Camden Council to provide new social housing to replace any compulsorily purchased.

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