816 posts
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Post by stefy69 on Oct 21, 2016 10:48:16 GMT
Sorry to introduce a solemn note but just for a few seconds remember the disaster that unfolded at Aberfan 50 years ago today.
144 people killed, 28 adults and 116 primary school children, each passing year just seems to make it the more poignant.
My heart goes out to the community and all Welsh people in particular...
Puts a lot of things into perspective. |
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Oct 21, 2016 11:31:36 GMT
I'm slightly too young to remember the day itself, but grew up with an awareness of it, if only in the abstract. I've found the programming surrounding the anniversary of the tragedy incredibly powerful, especially on the radio, the personal accounts of survivors and their families wiping away the 50 years since and taking the listener back with them to the day when everything changed irrevocably. Moving, heart-breaking, 'pull the car over to dry your tears' words. Remember Aberfan.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 12:47:04 GMT
I'm too young to remember, but my Uncle (a young man of about 20 I think) was one of the many who immediately travelled up to help (my own Dad was too young at the time) it's an event that still haunts South Wales, but it's been wonderful to see the many tributes.
I just spent lunchtime outside the WMC with members of Welsh National Opera leading hymns and readings in tribute, it was a lovely low key but moving event (no press or anything just something the company decided they wanted to put together)
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1,582 posts
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Post by anita on Oct 21, 2016 13:23:34 GMT
I do remember the day. I was at school & we were all told to leave our lessons & go to the hall. There we were told what had happened & a special Assembley was held to pray for them.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2016 15:46:00 GMT
Better late than never. My thoughts to everyone who was touched by this in any way. I must admit I am old enough to remember the disaster but didn't realise the magnitude of it until I saw the ITV documentary about it the other day. All those young children taken away from their families and feeling what those families have lived with over the years. What a tragedy.
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5,057 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Oct 22, 2016 17:53:54 GMT
My family on my mothers side come from Merthyr Valley, where Aberfan is, some of them were miners, obviously they went down and helped in the rescue, even people who were not miners did what they could, sadly their efforts futile.
My cousin was chief registrar at Merthyr Registry Office and he had the harrowing job of registering all the deaths. My other cousin was a Community Services Officer and would oversee court sentences for people sentenced to unpaid work. One of the pieces of unpaid work he got them to do was look after the grave and memorial in Aberfan and in the cemetery, he knew he could leave them to work there and go back to the office to catch up on paperwork, the work was always carried out and completed better than expects.
I had a colleague who lost their brother in this disaster as well.
Unfortunately just like the Kings Cross fire, this tragedy was completely avoidable if warnings were heeded, so therefore it is a tragedy never an accident.
It gouls me to say this, but the Labour Party and the National Coal Board can hang their head in shame over this.
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5,707 posts
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Post by lynette on Oct 22, 2016 23:18:28 GMT
I do remember the day. I was at school & we were all told to leave our lessons & go to the hall. There we were told what had happened & a special Assembley was held to pray for them. I was at school too in the school play, and that evening getting ready for a performance we had a whip round among us, the cast. There were no announcements as I recall. No prayers..I might have just forgotten them or what was said by school though I don't think they marked it in any way, but the horror of it has never left me. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2016 9:26:13 GMT
There is a marvellous page on the BBC site about the Aberfan disaster if you get a chance to read it (and get through it without floods of tears): www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-150d11df-c541-44a9-9332-560a19828c47The disaster happened before I was born but I've always been aware of it. It's obviously a heartbreaking story but there are two moments in such a horrendous (and avoidable) time in history tell you everything you need to know about the good in people and community in times like this that stood out for me: 1. The story of desperate family, friends and strangers with bleeding hands where they've torn their own skin off trying to dig into the debris to help find bodies; and 2. A hardened police officer who every night before he finished his shift would walk around the chapel where all of the dead bodies were laid out and tuck them in as though they were asleep in their own beds and say 'goodnight' to them. He did that every night. It's just heartbreaking. |
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