100 Headlines That Changed the World by James Maloney

Author:James Maloney [Maloney, James]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781780335353
Publisher: Perseus Book Group
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

21 DEAD 7 MANCHESTER UTD PLAYERS PERISH IN AIR CRASH

(Daily Sketch, 7 February 1958)

THEY WERE THE DREAM TEAM. The ‘Busby Babes’ – a nickname derived from their manager’s name and their youth. With an average age of just 24, they were the most exciting young football players of their generation.

Tragically, these potential world beaters, who were aiming to win the 1st Division Championship for a record-breaking third consecutive time as well as finding glory in Europe, were cut off in their prime when the dream died on 6 February 1958.

There had been speculation that Manchester United might be capable of ‘doing the treble’ that season – champions of Division 1, the FA Cup and European Cup.

They had beaten Red Star Belgrade 2–1 at their home ground of Old Trafford in January and had flown out to Belgrade for the away leg, which they drew 3–3. It was enough to put United through to the semi-finals.

DIFFICULT LANDING

The following day their British European Airways plane stopped to refuel in Munich on its way home. Snow and ice had made landing tricky but it was even more difficult when they tried to take off again.

Captain Thain aborted take off after noticing an uneven tone in the engines. The passengers, including team, officials and sports journalists, disembarked for refreshments in the terminal building.

The second attempt was also aborted for the same reason, described by Captain Thain to his passengers as a ‘slight engine fault’, which would need to be checked.

Once more the passengers returned to the departure lounge. Manchester United’s star player, left-half Duncan Edwards, sent a telegram to his landlady saying, ‘All flights cancelled. Flying home tomorrow. Duncan.’ But unexpectedly, they were called back onto the plane, which was ready to leave.

SKID DISASTER

By now, the snow was heavier, causing a layer of slush to build up. The plane gathered speed but was unable to reach the velocity required to get off the ground. It skidded off the end of the runway, ploughed through a fence and struck a nearby house, which tore off the port wing and part of the tail. The starboard side of the fuselage hit a wooden hut.

Inside the aircraft, twenty people were killed outright. Captain Thain got out and shouted to everyone to evacuate before the plane exploded. Inside, United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper, Harry Gregg, had bumped his head and blood was pouring down his face, but he realised he was alive. He crawled towards a hole in the wreckage and kicked it wider so that he could get out. Gregg saw the Captain shouting and others running away but just then he heard a baby crying.

Heroically he crawled back and found the baby girl under some debris and brought her out where he handed her over to a radio operator. Gregg then went back in and rescued the mother – Vera Lukic, the pregnant wife of a Yugoslavian diplomat.

Outside, he saw his teammates Bobby Charlton and Dennis Viollet hanging half in and half out of the plane, and he dragged them clear by the waistbands of their trousers.

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