Shoreham Air show crash

[Chicken Run]

Another tragic loss of life, cruel in its sheer stupid randomness. The wedding car aspect just turns the knife. And one further footnote (apologies if it's been mentioned elsewhere, I've not seen it) that adds to the sense of 'we are a small community': the couple who the bride-to-be car was intended for, and who were unaware of the circumstances until their wedding ceremony was under way, were Raj and his missus Rebecca, a lovely couple who until a few months back ran the newsagents shop at the bottom of Preston Drove. So very sad.

I said earlier in this thread, he was my wife's an mine chauffeur for our wedding last year, same car, only looked at the pix last night of him opening the door for her at the Grand.

 

[Lurker]

We started out from Somerset on Saturday morning intending to arrive in time to run our dogs up at Devils Dyke before parking up at the uni as usual. We normally get there around 1.30.
We intended cutting across country via Salisbury then M27/A27 but there was a minor shunt on the M5 southbound when we set out so elected instead to go north and then M4/M25/M23. We were cursing when the M25 proved to be a day trippers' car park and our normal 3-4 hour trip turned into a near 6 hour nightmare but then we heard the news.
Don't think I've ever felt so fortunate.

I was probably parked somewhere near you in that M25 nightmare on Saturday.
I might even have seen you if you stopped off at Cobham Services, I saw two people wearing Albion attire in there.

We frequently alternate our route from the Midlands, between M40/M25/M23 some weeks .. to M40/A34/M3/M27/A27 other weeks, for no real reason other than a change of scenery, and I actually turned to my wife in frustration at one point on Saturday and said "why on earth didn't we take the A27 this week?"
We would always be going past Shoreham airport between 1pm and 1.30pm when we go the A27 way.

When we heard the news I felt sick at the realisation that a subconscious decision made just a couple of hours earlier to take a different route had quite possibly extended our lives.
The immediate reaction is one of relief and thanking your lucky stars ... until the realisation hits that eleven other people made subconscious decisions that morning that resulted in them ending their lives.

Somebody earlier in the thread made an extremely crass remark about not believing it possible to have nightmares if you didn't actually witness the event.
I haven't had nightmares, but even now, three days after the event, I still think about very little else ... and I don't personally know any of the victims named so far.

Goodness knows how those poor families are coping with this, my heart goes out to them.

 

[atomised]

So true what you say there lurker, I don't know any of those so far named personally but having lived in shoreham for a few years I can still today think of little else. I sat at the amex on Saturday watching the game flow by in something of a daze

 

[Lurker]

So true what you say there lurker, I don't know any of those so far named personally but having lived in shoreham for a few years I can still today think of little else. I sat at the amex on Saturday watching the game flow by in something of a daze

I think it's the Albion connection that is probably why so many of us on this board, and probably throughout the supporter base, feel it so intensely.

One of the very first things I said to my wife when I heard the news is that there would be bound to be many, many Brighton fans in that vicinity at that time of day on a matchday, and it would be inconceivable for us not to lose somebody in the tragedy.

Sadly, but predictably, that has turned out to be the case ... and we still don't know the names of half the victims, so there could be even more Brighton fans amongst them.

This is not a weekend that any of us will ever forget.

 

[dangull]

This to a certain extent reminds me of the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers, just because of all the phone and camera videos that you can see on the internet from every angle.

I feel like its wrong to look at this, like its hard to not look at a bad traffic accident as your driving past the other way.

 

[worthingseagull]

Hartlepool's whole team had the same name on their shirts after a youth team player died when we played them a couple of years ago.

maybe the ref just didn't notice, or Hartlepool said that, ironic as it seems,all their players had the same name ?

 

[SussexHoop]

In practice it seems a good idea, however what if the ref had to send one of the players off. Also a lot of clubs up and down the country have personal losses that involve the club, so potentially you could have players playing with different names on their shirts most weeks and where do you draw the line? Black armbands and a minutes silence are happening tonight and I have no doubt the club will arrange something for the next home game. Maybe the players could wear the names under their shirts and lift them up when they score.

When Ray Jones was killed 8 years ago today, for our next game the whole team wore shirts with his name on the back so it could be done.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I haven't had nightmares, but even now, three days after the event, I still think about very little else ... and I don't personally know any of the victims named so far.

Goodness knows how those poor families are coping with this, my heart goes out to them.

Same with me.

 

[Gritt23]

Somebody earlier in the thread made an extremely crass remark about not believing it possible to have nightmares if you didn't actually witness the event.
I haven't had nightmares, but even now, three days after the event, I still think about very little else ... and I don't personally know any of the victims named so far.

Goodness knows how those poor families are coping with this, my heart goes out to them.

Spot on.

The comment about nightmares was a bit odd. I certainly haven't experienced first hand everything I dream about. Most dreams are barely possible - a friend of mine drove to my work in a dream recently. Not just to my work, but through the building and up to my desk before chatting to me through the window in 'Arry Redknapp Transfer Deadline Day stylee. That's just how the subconscious bounces around your mind at night.

 

[Bozza]

[tweet]635869116658810880[/tweet]

Thanks to [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] who I assume arranged this.

I've been away camping in Dorset since Friday morning and for most of that time had no connectivity at all. [MENTION=249]edna krabappel[/MENTION] did manage to get in touch with me, and suggested the flowers and kindly took the time to arrange it on behalf of NSCers.

I'm still very much playing catch-up on many things, but I see there is a fund in place to help support the families of those impacted by this tragic incident. I will leave it for a little while to assess what options will be available to make a meaningful financial contribution, but NSC will make a monetary donation also. I'll update as and when.

I certainly have not read much of this nor similar threads, but it's clear there has been a great rallying amongst the community which is great to see. It's such a shame that it has taken something so horrific to illustrate that behind much of the day-to-day bickering, this is quite a tight knit group.

 

[Spicy]

Same with me.

And me and I feel as if I know those involved personally, even though I don't.

 

[robinsonsgrin]

Thanks to Edna for the flowers - lovely gesture. Appreciated.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Agreed.
And then you get the flipside - some of the ghoulish accounts of witnesses who were there (which I will not reproduce here), which are splashed across some of the papers. These people are utterly, utterly sickening.

Something like this really does bring out the best, and worst in some people.

Perhaps this debate is for another thread, but I can guarantee reporters would've been putting a lot of pressure on any witnesses to give interviews - stuff like regularly knocking at the front door, phoning once an hour etc until they get a story.
If you don't show a bit of savvy with them they will extract whatever story they want. I feel sorry for that woman who was splashed all over the front page of the Sun. The local press are just as bad because you get people trying to make a name for themselves.

 

[The Wookiee]

A fund has been opened for those wishing to make a donation in support of the people and communities affected by the Shoreham air crash incident.

The appeal is being managed by Sussex Community Foundation, a registered charity which manages funds and gives grants to local communities in Sussex.

The costs of managing the appeal are being met by Adur District and Worthing Borough councils and West Sussex County Council.

Donations can be made in the following ways:

Online - Go to www.justgiving.com/sussexgiving
By text - Text SAIR10 plus the amount you wish to donate to 70070

By telephone - Call Sussex Community Foundation on 01273 409446 between 9am and 5pm with your credit or debit card details

By cheque - Via your bank. Make cheques payable to: Sussex Community Foundation or pay into CAF Bank account number 00095624, Sort code 40-52-40.

Account name is Sussex Community Foundation. Please mark cheques SHOREHAM

By post - Send cheques made payable to Sussex Community Foundation to: Sussex Community Foundation, 15 Western Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1RL.

Please include your name, address and telephone number and mark your cheque SHOREHAM

Could this appeal be made a sticky at the top of the board ?

 

[BensGrandad]

I have avoided this thread for fear of saying the wrong thing but it is wong I think for the authorites, after very little investigation to be suggesting it was probably 'pilot error' which I have heard said. The poor chap is not in a position to defend him self and nor is his family If that is eventually found to be the case can they not just put it down to an accident with no blame attached.

 

[Beach Hut]

I feel a great void at the moment as a local resident and both my sons knew one of players and played with him in REMF games, I really cannot describe what it is but you just sense something is there that was not there before, a sort of atmospheric situation.

When Mini and I got off the train at Shoreham last Saturday after the game, despite knowing a bit of what had happened there was a real sense of sadness that you could just feel in the air.

Then you have to cope with the what ifs, my eldest left the house at 13:10 on Saturday being driven by his mate to his Littlehampton FC game via the by-pass, fortunately he went east as they played St Francis as opposed to west which is what normally happens.

I went to London today for the first time in ages as our offices are part closed due to refurbishment and someone asked me about it, I nearly cried there and then and so far cannot even think of making a 10 minute walk to the Toll Bridge as I fear how emotional it will be.

What hurts is knowing a lot of the victims have been robbed of a lot of their lives and also played local football like my kids do and supported BHAFC.

 

[The Wookiee]

I have avoided this thread for fear of saying the wrong thing but it is wong I think for the authorites, after very little investigation to be suggesting it was probably 'pilot error' which I have heard said. The poor chap is not in a position to defend him self and nor is his family If that is eventually found to be the case can they not just put it down to an accident with no blame attached.

I did read something in the press from a RAF guy calling the pilot a lunatic and was showing off, thought that was poor form, like as you said, we don't know the cause, would of thought the guy would of had a bit more respect for one of his own

 

[easynow]

I did read something in the press from a RAF guy calling the pilot a lunatic and was showing off, thought that was poor form, like as you said, we don't know the cause, would of thought the guy would of had a bit more respect for one of his own

He initiated the loop over a built up area...

 

[greyseagull]

I feel a great void at the moment as a local resident and both my sons knew one of players and played with him in REMF games, I really cannot describe what it is but you just sense something is there that was not there before, a sort of atmospheric situation.

When Mini and I got off the train at Shoreham last Saturday after the game, despite knowing a bit of what had happened there was a real sense of sadness that you could just feel in the air.

Then you have to cope with the what ifs, my eldest left the house at 13:10 on Saturday being driven by his mate to his Littlehampton FC game via the by-pass, fortunately he went east as they played St Francis as opposed to west which is what normally happens.

I went to London today for the first time in ages as our offices are part closed due to refurbishment and someone asked me about it, I nearly cried there and then and so far cannot even think of making a 10 minute walk to Norfolk Bridge as I fear how emotional it will be.

What hurts is knowing a lot of the victims have been robbed of a lot of their lives and also played local football like my kids do and supported BHAFC.

I feel exactly the same and the second half of your first sentence there in particular I can certainly relate to. I also travelled through that route to the game, like many, between 1.10-1.15 so have been thinking about that a lot. It's hard not to. You and I have never met but as I am local and planning a visit to the Bridge in the next couple of days, if you want any company then just let me know. Appreciate though it may be something you want to do alone or with loved ones. The offer is there though.

 

[The Wookiee]

He initiated the loop over a built up area...

Whatever errors were made or not made, the guys comments were insensitive. Let's just leave it at that