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75 years on - Llandow remembers air tragedy

Wednesday, 12 March 2025 08:42

By Gareth Joy X @lookoutwales2

Royal Air Force

Commenorations have been held to mark the 75th anniversary of the Llandow air disaster.

On 12th March 1950, an Avro Tudor airliner crashed just short of the runway as it was approached Llandow aerodrrome.

The privately chartered flight had been carrying Welsh rugby fans to and from a Five Nations game in Belfast, where Wales had clinched the Triple Crown.

80 people were killed - including 75 passengers and all five crew, with just three passengers surviving what was at the time the world's worst air disaster.

Many of those killed in the tragedy had been part of trips organised by rugby clubs and pubs across South Wales, including three members of Abercarn RFC and six players from Llanharan RFC.

An inquest later found that the airliner had been incorrectly loaded and became unstable as it came into land, causing it to crash.

The flight had been initially booked for 72 passengers, but the plane was stripped in order to accommodate six more.

Last Sunday, the Royal Air Force held a memorial service in the nearby hamlet of Sigingstone to remember those who lost their lives, concluding with a flypast by three Tutor T1 aircraft, provided by the University of Wales Air Squadron, based at MoD St Athan.

Among those at the servce were relatives of those who died, along with local dignatries and representatives of the rugby clubs affected by the tragedy.

The Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Morfudd Meredith, was in attendance along with the leader of Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cllr Lis Burnett.

The RAF played a key role in the aftermath of the tragedy - as personnel from both Llandow and St Athan took part in the rescue and recovery operation.

The bodies were taken to a temporary mortuary set up at Llandow with the help of memebrs of the RAF Police from St Athan who helped guard the crash site.

Air Commodore Rob Woods said: "RAF medical staff gave comfort to the relatives who came to identify the dead, and the three survivors, who were taken to the hospital at RAF St Athan, later spoke with warmth and gratitude for the care they had received there."

"Today, we give thanks for the efforts and the service of those RAF personnel in caring for the wounded, the dead, and their families."

Llandow is also home to No. 614 (County of Glamorgan) Squadron, which was the only RAF Reserve unit in Wales at the time of the crash.

Wing Commander Lee Matthews said: "As today, the members of 614 Squadron served in their spare time and they were at a training weekend when the Avro Tudor crashed and were first on the scene."

"They were horrified to find that one of the bodies they pulled from the wreckage was that of their then Officer Commanding, Squadron Leader Bill Irving, from Cwmbran. He had organised a trip from his local pub to watch the game."

"He also served with the squadron during the war, surviving many dangerous missions, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions then, only to die coming home from a rugby match."

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