A moments thought

[Pa Snip]

50 years ago I was a ordinary typical 18 year old teenager, . I had owned a motorbike, I had owned a 'mod' type Lambretta scooter. I was now on my second car, a red mini.

I had lived through the Cuban Missile crisis and nothing had happened. I was enjoying life.
I lived in Slough, well over 100 miles away and had no connections to the place I remember whatsoever

So why do I remember October 21st,

50 years ago today I remember watching television, I remember a news reporter almost totally broken down in tears as he tried to give his report.

50 years ago today a school started its day in the normal way, but sadly 116 children and 28 adults never returned home, they perished in what must have been a most horrific way.

Today I think how lucky I have been to have enjoyed 68 years of life to date despite now playing host to an alien within.

Today I spare a moment to remember those poor little mites, and the adults, who died at Pantglas School, Aberfan. R I P

[Shallot Man]

Pa Snip. Thank you for that moving reminder. shallot man

[robo]

I remember it well ,what a disaster , what made it worse where I worked at the time had slang heaps at the rear of the factory not small undulating hills but vertical lumps three to four hundred yards high they where a disaster in the making they have only been moved in the last few years , thank you for the reminder

[alan refail]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt ... 0a19828c47

[alan refail]

Cymro, by Sophie McKeand.


Brother, I have challenged you. Tundra flesh and frozen hearted, I watched your struggles. The ice wind blowing from north to south, east to west, I exhaled sleet and thunder, manifest lightening and war.

Brother, I was indifferent to you. The hard slate of argument and self-righteous rock of years - compressed memories, pain and hurt. Strata layered with misunderstandings and the knowledge that ‘I’ am always right (we dig the richest seams).

Brother, I have hated you. Wished you in heaven, and hell. Felt skin itch quick and prickled at your actions. Experienced scorched words launched hot, so I returned, always returned, quickfire molten rocks.

Brother, I have wept for you. When the wasteland between us, became us, and the barren earth we ravaged crippled us (founding fathers) so that the bare trees shuddered at our thoughts and wild rivers rusted at our words and black crows spiralled from the sky where we trod.

Brother, I stand before you. Mouth of ash and dust, eyes of mirrors, glass shattered at the carnage created by men who would tear this land apart just to be right.

Brother, I kneel before you. I never believed in fate, or our ability to wound each other, I only dreamed of what was rightfully mine and did not want you to have the capacity to love, or sow seeds, plant crops, gather fruits, sit under wide oak trees and laugh in sunlight, without me.

Brother, I hold my arms out to you. Because our future can only flourish when people of every origin rooted here, grow together. Cymru is our country - land of brothers, a family of all races and none, and soon the mountains in which we forge incandescent songs will echo with our children’s bright voices.

Brother, I will carry you. For as long as it takes. For as far as it takes, I will shoulder your story because it is also mine and we will sow poetry across these Welsh mountains and valleys together. We are the untameable forest. The hard slate. The mighty seas. The rolling skies.

The strength of our community, the artistry of our words will galvanize hearts across this troubled world so that the legend of the brothers of Cymru is celebrated long after we have folded into earth.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local ... l-12018594

[Pa Snip]

Alan
Both your posts tug at the heartstrings.

The BBC link contains so much information of the aftermath as well. Insult was added to injury.
Those pictures of the scene and the descriptive text brought back so much that I had forgotten. I thought at the time there was use of the fund in a way I was sure the donating public had never intended. Use of the fund for things that the NCB should have paid for.

I must stop,
there is so much that could be recalled and debated but the object is a simple act of sparing a moment to remember. Thank you for doing so.

[Shallot Man]

Seem to recall Princess Margaret set up a fund to send toys to the area. I seem to recall thinking all those years ago, why do they want toys, the poor mites are dead.

a





n,

[alan refail]

Aberfan

Dim ond un llais sydd yn y cwm
A'r llais hwnnw
Yw llais y glaw
Yn curo'n drwm.

Dim ond un llaw sydd yn y cwm
A'r llaw honno
Yw llaw'r mynydd
Yn gwasgu'n drwm.

Dim ond un lliw sydd yn cwm
A'r lliw hwnnw
Yw llwyd
Lliw tristwch, lliw llwm.

Dim ond un cwestiwn sydd yn y cwm
A'r cwestiwn hwnnw
Yw pam?

Ac mae'n gwestiwn rhy drwm.



Only one voice in the valley
And that voice
Is the voice of the rain
Pounding.

Only one hand in the valley
And that hand
Is the mountain's hand
Pressing hard.

 Only one colour in valley
And that colour
Is grey
The colour of sadness, a barren colour.

 Only one question in the valley
And that question
Is why?

And it's too hard a question.

[Pa Snip]

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[Primrose]

Thank you for the reminder.
It's hard to imagine so many innocent lives lost through a disaster which ought never to have happened.
And such a horrible way to die. Its a tragedy which will never be forgotten because some places are forever immortalised by the disaster which happened there like this one and Lockerbie.

[Monika]

I remember it well - I had three small children and a fourth on the way and stood in the kitchen, listening to the radio with tears running down my face ...

[Westi]

This tragedy did not reach where I was in Australia, so the first time I had heard about it was the following year I moved to the UK!

I couldn't believe it was allowed to happen, couldn't believe the death toll, couldn't believe the efforts the rescuers made, couldn't believe the dignity of those that lost their children, in some cases more than one if I recall right. It was a documentary about the events leading up to the tragedy and some parents who lost their children were interviewed - I cried listening to them.

I cried this morning again when it came on the news, not the same details but etched in my memory I recalled those hard working people whose families were destroyed & shared a bit of their grief with them. Not PC to say but these dignified people made such an impact with their stoic nature; the wailing, hysteria & instant anger we get at some events now days does not have that impact even if as tragic which is why this will be remembered forever! A worthy legacy to leave those lost in the disaster. RIP

Westi

[Pawty]

I wasn't born when this tragic event occurred. But I cried when I listened to people describe what had happened and the impact it has had. The strength of such a small community is overwhelming and I have utter respect for everyone who came together to help in such a devastating situation.

We held a minute silence at 9.15 in our offices yesterday. I real time to reflect. Rest in peace.

I can only hope that something like this can never happen again.

Pawty

[snooky]

I was in the last year of my Apprenticeship when the news of this tragedy came on the news.Myself and several other Apprentices clocked out and drove up to Merthyr,only to be turned back.The police had decided that there enough rescuers at the site and that any more would just be in the way.Disappointed we tried the back roads but the same result-no go.Another sad day in Welsh mining history;and avoidable.
What Pa Snip was referring to with regard to the Charitable Fund which was set up was that part of it was hijacked to part pay for the removal of other spoil tips.The NCB refused to do it on the grounds of cost backed by the then Secretary of Wales,George Thomas.He changed his tune when the people of Aberfan took over the Welsh Office in Cardiff and dumped sack loads of the spoil in his office and other areas.But, the trick up his sleeve was to demand £250,000 from the fund which had nearly two million pounds in it.This was resisted but eventually £150,000 was handed over,under protest,because it was thought that if it wasn't then the tips wouldn't be levelled.
This injustice was rectified years later with a payment of two million pounds from the devolved Welsh Government and used today to upkeep the Memorial Garden and Community Centre.
Compensation paid to the families of the deceased,by the NCB,was £500 per child,the minimum which the NCB(on the orders of Lord Rubens the then chairman ofthe Coal Board)could get away with.