21/10/1966 Aberfan

G

Grumpyowl

Veteran
 North East Derbyshire
I would just like to pay my respects to the families who lost loved ones in this awful disaster.

I was a 9 year old at the time and remember getting home and watching the news on our old black and white tv.
Many of the children would have been a similar age to me. now 50 years on I feel very privileged for the life marriage and children I have had, that they were never able to experience. It puts all life's little problems into perspective.

The families were treated very poorly at the time by the government of the day and the coal board.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all those connected with the disaster.
 
Yes, Well done Grumpy Owl. A tragedy indeed on an enormous scale.

You just cant imagine the panic that would have gone through that village at the time and the grief suffered by the parents not knowing if they'd find their child alive. A terrible event.
 
Yep, well done Grumpyowl +1

This was a National disaster that, like you, I remember as being a terrible event even though I too was only young.

Unbelievably dreadful for the community and something which will have impact for years to come.

Thoughts go out to all.
 
spot on mate remember it well I was 10 at the time .
cant imagine what the family's are going though at this moment in time
 
Yes, an awful tragedy. I remember seeing an interview, years afterwards, with one of the local doctors who had to triage the children - deciding which ones could be saved and which ones couldn't. Heart breaking stuff.
 
My late dad was a very proud Merthyr boy, we used to go past the site when I started driving and taking him back to Wales to visit family, it always choked him up, there was a proper community feel to everyone after the tragic event. Utterly atrocious how the government took raised money for the families away from them to repair their own mistakes, shocking behaviour.
 
Nice tribute OP - I was only 7 years old when this happened, but I remember it distinctly seeing as I was at primary school myself at the time.

I remember the news reports at the time in black and white on our TV, and I cannot understand why nobody has ever been held accountable for such a catastrophe - that just doesn't seem right.

But blame doesn't bring anyone back. Best wishes to anyone involved or affected.
 
I must be a similar age to Grumpowl as I too remember see this on black and white TV. Indeed, I think that it was the first time I had been truly horrified.

All that time on and still very moving and people still suffering. A real tragedy.
 
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