VALLEY MRT WEEKEND REPORT: 6-8 AUG 1971
This report emerged when the joint MRS/MRA archive was commercially scanned to pdf in early 2021. It was digitized by Brian Canfer(BJC) Feb 2022.Victor callsign = RAF Valley MRT , SIABOD callsign = Plas y Brenin, TANGO = RAF Leeming MRT. Entries in italics do not appear in the original report
RAF VALLEY MRT WEEKEND REPORT: [1] 6-8 AUG 1971
Duty Team: – Forster, Cox, McGowan, Thomas, Hughes, Griffiths (driver), Naylor, Richardson, Harwell, Crawford, Shanks (Wop), Arter
| 1715 | 22 Sqn Scramble to incident, (reportedly a fallen climber) in Glaslyn area of Snowdon |
| 1810 | Message from Victor One, while in convoy on A5, to proceed to P-Y-P and assist 22 sqn on 1715 entry. |
| 1855 | Convoy arrive P-Y-P |
1900 | Victor Control detached to Nant Gwynant for link duties. Victor Ambulance with 9 MRT detached to causeway with 2 LMRT |
1915 | Victor Control link set up with following locations of MRT parties SIABOD 10 – Zig Zags SIABOD 11 – ¼ mile from P-Y-P on Miner’s Track SIABOD 12 – 500 yards from Ladies Gully Victor 1- — Victor 2 – Starting up Miners Track from Causeway Victor 3 – as Victor 2 |
| 1924 | A report from walkers descending, via SIABOD 12 ‘Shouts from approx Bulch Glas level 11/2 hours previous’ |
| 1930 | General search pattern seems to be concentrating in area West of Zig Zags to Y Garnedd. Number of MRT on the hill at this time P-Y-P 7 VMRT 9 LMRT 2 S of PT unknown (2) |
| Details from Police: a message was passed by telephone from summit railway station containing the following information:- Someone calling for help below summit apparently from a ledge above Glas Lyn lake approx 300 feet on Snowdon side – interval between shouts being heard and time of phoning 45 to 60 minutes Clothing worn. Olive green anorak, blue jeans, plimsolls Name Master Andrew Wilson aged 11 years 13 Market Rd, Furnace Green, Crawley, Sussex. Walking with parents and sister and were separated. | |
| 1937 | Message from SIABOD 12. Reported to them by walkers descending that boy of similar attire etc. was seen at halfway station at 1800 hrs. (This message relayed to Sgt Roberts L.P.) and awaiting confirmation. |
| 2000 | SIABOD 12 on Summit and returning to make another line of search lower in Glaslyn Basin. |
| 2012 | LMRT arrived at P-Y-P base + 9 |
| 2019 | Message from LMRT (via Tel):- Establish radio contact with Victor Control then proceed to causeway |
| 2022 | Radio contact with Victor parties intended Routes as follows. V2 – Crib-y-Ddysgol V3 – Llechog Ridge V4- Bwlch-Y- Saethau |
| 2023 | Message from SIABOD 10 to concentrate search in Upper Glaslyn Basin including Trinity Gullies |
| 2025 | Calls made via Police to:- John Roberts for Search Dog assistance & Ogwen Cottage MRT assistance; also for St. Athan MRT to RV at P-Y-P. |
| 2030 | Message from Victor 1 ETA 60 mins. |
| 2045 | Message from SIABOD 12: Proceeding to search right hand ridge towards Y Garnedd. |
| 2046 | Message from SIABOD 10: Traversing in and out of Gullies |
| 2055 | Leeming MRT moving in on Lliwedd side. |
| 2100 | Message from SIABOD 12: ¼ mile from Gribbin Ridge |
| 2116 | All Victor Parties descending to Glaslyn |
| 2200 | All SIABOD parties returning to P-Y-P ETA 2245 |
| 2203 | All Tango and Victor Parties instructed to return to P-Y-P. |
| 2215 | Message from SIABOD BASE requesting ETA SIABOD Parties at P-Y-P Message to SIABOD Base ETA 2045[2]. |
| 2230 | No contact with Victor Parties |
| 2300 | No contact with Victor Parties |
| 2302 | Message from SIABOD BASE at QRX[3] Message to SIABOD BASE – Roger no further assistance required close down + |
| VMRT 12 (10) Leeming 10 (8) St Athan 12 (110 Llanberis Police Party: 1 C/I[5] + 7 + 1 Dog. Met Police (14 men) DOGS C/S Avalanche John Roberts 31) ) 5 Dogs (4) DJ Logan 34) S. Smith D. Hardy 2 Dogs VMRT C/S V1 Forster & Griffiths – PD +1 V2 Shanks & Arter V3 Naylor & Thomas V4 Cox, Richardson, Harwell & D. Hardy V5 Police Party (Llanberis) V6 ARIS (Cwm Clogwyn) V7 Parker (Cwyn-y-Llan) TANGO (RAF Leeming) T1 West (4) T2 Rogers (4) SIERRA (RAF St Athan) S1 J. Morrison (4) S2 J Reynolds (3) S3 C Gaskin (4) RADIOS VICTOR BASE P-Y-P VICTOR CONTROL Nant Gwynant car Park (Crawford) | |
| Saturday 7 Aug 1971 | |
| 0400 | Dog Teams out |
| 0410 | VMRT parties out |
| 0425 | Victor Control out (Crawford to Nant Gwynant car park) |
| 0455 | Police Control vehicle arrived & parked. Keys in YH |
| 0500 | Radio checks carried out with Control, V4 and AVALANCHE34. |
| 0510 | Radio check with T2, now in position. |
| 0515 | Call from Met Police – 14 men coming to assist in search |
| 0535 | Army party called – may have party available at 0830 |
| 0610 | Arrival of Police- C/Inspector Thomas + 7 |
| 0630 | Police party out to Cwm Brwynos. |
| 0632 | Arrival of Met police |
| 0645 | Two Met Police teams out. |
| 0655 | Contact made with 22 Sqn – a/c to assist in search |
| 0700 | Cloud base: Snowdon 3,400 ft, Crib Y Ddysgol 2,800 ft. |
| 0710 | Boy found at farm. Bron-y-Fedu farm 107/568546 [5] (Report from Police HQ) |
| 0712 | Information to 22 Sqn. |
| 0730 | All parties returning to base. |
| 0735 | Information to T. Jackson |
| 0740 | Information to NRCC |
| 0930 | Team departed P-Y-P for Nantle. |
| 1000 | Team at Base Camp-Nantle. |
[1] Team diaries were completely unofficial, unregulated, unclassified documents kept at the Team Leader’s discretion. At this time the RAF Valley MRT did not keep a regular diary, hence I guess, this report. BJC
[2] Looking at the 2302 entry I think this a typo and should be 2245 BJC
[3] QRX in the 1912 Q code = “When will you call me again?” BJC
[4] C/I believed to be Chief Inspector BJC
[5] It may well be that the OS sheet numbers have changed but I make that 115/568546 Bron-y-Fedw Farm, had he taken the Ranger Path down?? BJC