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Manchester United and the Forgotten Victims of Munich

Boris Pasternak

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Published in The Lost Babes: Manchester United And The Forgotten Victims Of Munich

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On February 6, 1958, a British European Airways plane carrying the Manchester United football team crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport. The plane was carrying 44 passengers and crew, 20 of whom died at the scene. The remaining 24 passengers were taken to hospital, where three more died, resulting in 23 fatalities with 21 survivors.

The Lost Babes: Manchester United and the Forgotten Victims of Munich

by Jeff Connor

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Print length	:	320 pages

The disaster claimed the lives of 8 of Manchester United's famous "Busby Babes," a group of young players who had helped the team win the First Division title the previous season. The team was on its way to Belgrade to play a European Cup quarter-final against Red Star Belgrade.

In the aftermath of the disaster, the world mourned the loss of the Busby Babes. However, there were other victims of the crash who were largely forgotten. These were the people who were on board the plane but who were not footballers. They included the crew, journalists, and fans.

The crew of the plane were all killed in the crash. They were Captain James Thain, First Officer Kenneth Rayment, Flight Engineer George Wardle, and Stewardess Margaret Bellis. The journalists on board the plane were Alf Clarke of the Manchester Evening News, Frank Swift of the News of the World, Don Davies of the Daily Herald, and George Follows of the Daily Mail. The fans on board the plane were William Foulkes, Thomas Curry, and Bert Whalley.

The stories of these forgotten victims are just as tragic as those of the Busby Babes. They were all people who had their lives cut short in the prime of their lives. They were all people who had families and friends who mourned their loss.

The crew of the plane were all experienced professionals who had flown many miles without incident. Captain Thain had been a pilot for 15 years and had flown over 10,000 hours. First Officer Rayment had been a pilot for 10 years and had flown over 5,000 hours. Flight Engineer Wardle had been a pilot for 5 years and had flown over 2,000 hours. Stewardess Bellis had been a flight attendant for 3 years and had flown over 1,000 hours.

The journalists on board the plane were all experienced reporters who had covered many important stories. Alf Clarke had been a reporter for the Manchester Evening News for 15 years and had covered many of Manchester United's matches. Frank Swift had been a reporter for the News of the World for 10 years and had covered many of the biggest stories of the day. Don Davies had been a reporter for the Daily Herald for 5 years and had covered many of the most important political stories of the day. George Follows had been a reporter for the Daily Mail for 3 years and had covered many of the most important sports stories of the day.

The fans on board the plane were all passionate supporters of Manchester United. William Foulkes had been a fan of the team for over 20 years and had attended many of their matches. Thomas Curry had been a fan of the team for over 10 years and had attended many of their matches. Bert Whalley had been a fan of the team for over 5 years and had attended many of their matches.

The stories of these forgotten victims are a reminder of the human cost of the Munich air disaster. They were all people who had their lives cut short in the prime of their lives. They were all people who had families and friends who mourned their loss.

The Munich air disaster was a tragedy that claimed the lives of 23 people. However, it is important to remember that there were other victims of the crash who were largely forgotten. These were the people who were on board the plane but who were not footballers. They were the crew, journalists, and fans. Their stories are just as tragic as those of the Busby Babes. They are a reminder of the human cost of the Munich air disaster.

The Lost Babes: Manchester United and the Forgotten Victims of Munich

by Jeff Connor

4.6 out of 5