BBC Breakfast TV today - really feelgood story Tony Foulds

Status
Not open for further replies.
King Kareoke

King Kareoke

Striker
Guy from Sheffield who has looked after the monument - they are going to do a fly past.

I think I had grit in my eye watching that this morning - sorry is SEB but just a great story

Fly-past confirmed for Sheffield plane crash anniversary
A fly-past to mark the anniversary of a fatal plane crash in a Sheffield park will take place after a campaign by local TV presenter Dan Walker, it's been announced.

The US bomber came down almost 75 years ago during World War Two in Endcliffe Park, killing all 10 airmen on board.

For many decades, Sheffield man Tony Foulds has helped maintain a memorial to the dead airmen in the park:


Logon or register to see this image


Dan Walker

✔@mrdanwalker
Just met an amazing man in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield. Tony Foulds was an 8-yr-old playing in the park when a US plane crashed in Feb 1944. He has diligently maintained the memorial ever since. He was planting new flowers. Almost 75 yrs of service. What a man. I’m in bits

https://twitter.com/intent/like?tweet_id=1080424842921414656

Mr Foulds, who was aged eight at the time, was playing in the park when he saw the plane come down.

Several aircraft from the US Air Force and the RAF, including F15 jets, Ospreys, a Dakota and Typhoons, will be among those to get involved during the fly-past which is planned for next month.
 


Flared Hicks said:
The fly past was this morning. Very moving it was. Chuffed for the owld fella, and massive respect to all involved in organising this

Fly-past honours bomber-crash crew
Click to expand...

Police suggest 10k were present for the fly past as well. Brilliant for the gentleman and kudos to Dan Walker for having the media means to get this going to widely. Hopefully formal recognition from the Palace to follow for the gentlemen's devotion to those 10 american airmen who died.
 
Flared Hicks said:
The fly past was this morning. Very moving it was. Chuffed for the owld fella, and massive respect to all involved in organising this

Fly-past honours bomber-crash crew
Click to expand...
It was a great event and fantastically supported by the people of Sheffield. It cut through all the usual cynicism and bullshit we are bombarded with on a regular basis, and was a brilliant tribute to the airmen and the old lad who is determined to keep their memory alive. What a great moment it was when one of the crowd called for three cheers for the old boy! It’s rare I smile at BBC breakfast, but they did a great job today.
 
jedi_toaster said:
It was a great event and fantastically supported by the people of Sheffield. It cut through all the usual cynicism and bullshit we are bombarded with on a regular basis, and was a brilliant tribute to the airmen and the old lad who is determined to keep their memory alive. What a great moment it was when one of the crowd called for three cheers for the old boy! It’s rare I smile at BBC breakfast, but they did a great job today.
Click to expand...

Absolutely spot on. It was just a brilliant few hours of television. I know that Steph McGovern had a few tears but I've know idea how they managed to get through it without being blubbering wrecks, it was very emotional.
 
Managed to catch the fly over part this morning, well done to Tony for honouring the lives of those pilots. And also for Dan Walker to campaigned to get Tony and the pilots the recognition they deserved and also the fly past.

Had a canny bit of grit in my eyes watching the coverage.
 
What also was getting me choked up was listening to Tony talk about his 'survivor guilt' - he believes that if he and his friends hadn't being playing in the park, then those lads on the plane would have survived. The fact that the pilots pulled the plane away from the field and so crashed into the trees weighs very heavily on him, and it is something that hasn't diminished with time.

Steph McGovern mentions after the fly-past that Tony had gone off to wander alone, to visit the memorial, to talk to "his boys" has he put it... :cry:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top