50 Year Ago - Munich Air Disaster

[K.S.H]

Sure we'll all have a thought tomorrow for all those who died in this horrific accident.
Anyone got any stories/memories to tell us about this?
Any relatives involved - I had but obviously never met him

[K.S.H]

I meant to put a list in but I forgot.
Details from Wiki

Manchester United players

* Geoff Bent
* Roger Byrne
* Eddie Colman
* Duncan Edwards (survived the crash but died in hospital 15 days later)
* Mark Jones
* David Pegg
* Tommy Taylor
* Liam 'Billy' Whelan

Others

* Walter Crickmer - Club Secretary
* Bert Whalley - Chief Coach
* Tom Curry - Trainer
* Alf Clarke - journalist, Manchester Evening Chronicle
* Don Davies - journalist, Manchester Guardian
* George Follows - journalist, Daily Herald
* Tom Jackson - journalist, Manchester Evening News
* Archie Ledbrooke - journalist, Daily Mirror
* Henry Rose - journalist, Daily Express
* Eric Thompson - journalist, Daily Mail
* Frank Swift - journalist, News of the World (also former England and Manchester City goalkeeper)
* Captain Kenneth "Ken" Rayment - British co-pilot who survived the crash but suffered multiple injuries and died three weeks later as a result of brain damage. He was one of two people who died in hospital after being injured in the crash.
* Bela Miklos - travel agent
* Willie Satinoff - supporter, racecourse owner and close friend of Matt Busby
* Tom Cable - steward

Survivors

Manchester United players

* Johnny Berry (died in 1994)
* Jackie Blanchflower (died in 1998)
* Dennis Viollet (died in 1999)
* Ray Wood (died in 2002)

Still alive:

* Bobby Charlton
* Bill Foulkes
* Harry Gregg
* Kenny Morgans
* Albert Scanlon

Other survivors

* Matt Busby - team manager (died in 1994)
* Frank Taylor - journalist (died in 2002)
* James Thain - captain (died in 1975)
* George (Bill) Rodgers - radio officer (death date unknown)
* Peter Howard - photographer (died in 1996)
* Margaret Bellis - stewardess (died in 1990s)

Still alive:

* Ted Ellyard - photographer
* Vera Lukić and baby daughter Venona - passengers saved by Manchester United player Harry Gregg. In addition, at the time of the accident, Vera Lukić was pregnant with her later-born son Zoran.[6]
* Mrs Miklos - wife of Bela Miklos, the travel agent that arranged trip and died in the crash
* Nebojsa Bato Tomašević - passenger

[Doug]

Fifty years on this is still a tragedy that evokes grief in the population wider than the gates of the club itself, it happened a year before my birth but was something we where made aware of as we grew up. I watched Bobby Charlton on the box last night recounting his memories of the players and the tragic events of that night in Munich. I have to admit that there where tears rolling down my face throughout the programme.

To those affected that survive today our feelings and sympathies are with you, for those that lost their lives at the time and in the months and years following the event you remain in our thoughts. God bless.

[cashman]

was a terrible disaster, never liked Man U, but thats irrelavant, they will never be forgotten.

[West Ender]

It's a bit like "where were you when JFK was shot?" for me.

I was 15, it was evening and I was doing my homework. My eldest brother (football fan, amateur footballer) was 24, not yet married and still living at home. He came home from work, opened the door of the room I was in and, when I looked at him, he looked almost in tears. He said, in an almost unbelievibg voice, "There's been a plane crash and most of Manchester United are dead."

I don't remember the rest of the evening but that few minutes will always stay with me. So sad, so much young life wasted.

[jaysay]

I was only 12 at the time and I remember hearing of the disaster on my way home from playing football on the heys playing fields in Ossy. it was a grey afternoon and by the time I reached home in Monarch Street at least 10 more people had asked me if I'd heard, it was on every bodies tongues, even people who were not football fans were talking about it. I only hope that true respect is shown at the Manchester derby on Sunday

[K.S.H]

Originally Posted by jaysay

I was only 12 at the time and I remember hearing of the disaster on my way home from playing football on the heys playing fields in Ossy. it was a grey afternoon and by the time I reached home in Monarch Street at least 10 more people had asked me if I'd heard, it was on every bodies tongues, even people who were not football fans were talking about it. I only hope that true respect is shown at the Manchester derby on Sunday

City fans have been warned about it and could face a lifetime ban

[steeljack]

maybe I'm wrong but I seem to remember it was the first time most people got to see pictures/film of an air disaster on television without watching the newsreels at the cinema

[cashman]

Originally Posted by steeljack

maybe I'm wrong but I seem to remember it was the first time most people got to see pictures/film of an air disaster on television without watching the newsreels at the cinema

could be,being peasants we didn't have a telly then, you were obviously posh.

[Eric]

I first heard of it when our neighbour, Tom Noble, came and told my grandad .... My dad turned on the tv to see if the news was on, but no amount of slapping would make the thing work. First pictures I saw were in the paper. Great players died ... Duncan Edwards in particular. Is my memory correct that Bobby Charlton was the only one ever to play again?

[cashman]

think Bill Foulkes did Eric,aint certain but a bells ringing in me head.

[jaysay]

Just for interest for those who have satellite or cable TV MUTV is on free view all day today

[MikeSz]

I work right next to Old Trafford and I can say that there's certainly plenty of activity today.

Im not a Utd fan myself and wasnt around when it happened but I think all sports fans irrespective of their colours can appreciate the efforts being made to remember those who died and will pay their respects with solidarity.

[Stanleymad]

On news this morning & they recently got given a gem, an amature cameraman filmed the Busby babes playing year before the disaster, man u versus Burnley at turf moor, man u playing in the navy shirt, which is kinda priceless

[Polly_45]

One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany,
Eight great football stalwarts conceded victory,
Eight men will never play again who met destruction there,
The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester

Matt Busby's boys were flying, returning from Belgrade,
This great United family, all masters of their trade,
The pilot of the aircraft, the skipper Captain Thain,
Three times they tried to take off and twice turned back again.

The third time down the runaway disaster followed close,
There was slush upon that runaway and the aircraft never rose,
It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.
And eight of the team were killed as the blazing wreckage burned.

Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor who were capped for England's side.
And Ireland's Billy Whelan and England's Geoff Bent died,
Mark Jones and Eddie Colman, and David Pegg also,
They all lost their lives as it ploughed on through the snow.

Big Duncan he went too, with an injury to his brain,
And Ireland's brave Jack Blanchflower will never play again,
The great Matt Busby lay there, the father of his team
Three long months passed by before he saw his team again.

The trainer, coach and secretary, and a member of the crew,
Also eight sporting journalists who with United flew,
and one of them Big Swifty, who we will ne'er forget,
the finest English 'keeper that ever graced the net.

Oh, England's finest football team its record truly great,
its proud successes mocked by a cruel turn of fate.
Eight men will never play again, who met destruction there,
the flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester.