The Caerphilly Spitfire Crash
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- Опубликовано: 4 апр 2021
- In this film, I look into the story behind the Spitfire that crashed into a Welsh mountain and how the community of the neighbouring small town came together to remember a man from far away, who gave so much.
whatchrisdoes@gmail.com 
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Thank you for producing this excellent documentary. My father was a 13 year old living on the Garth mountain when he and several friends witnessed the crash. They ran to the site but were turned away by a policeman so had no idea about who was flying the aircraft.
Dad migrated to Western Australia in 1966 and he occasionally talked about what he had seen. In his late 80s he penned a letter the Britain at War magazine enquiring about the accident. He received several letters from readers of the magazine who were able to fill in the blanks. In 2013 I accompanied Dad back to Wales and we visited Ivan Trafford's grave. It was very moving to see dads reaction and the pleasure he got from being able to respect the memory of someone he never knew but someone who had been part of his life for over 80 years. My father passed away in 2023 at 94 years old so unfortunately didn't get to see your documentary but the description from your documentary give me a clearer understanding of what dad witnessed. Thank you.
This was my grandfather's brother and my dad is named after his uncle Ivan. What a great tribute, thank you for taking the time to make this film. I learned a few things too! xx
It was honestly a real pleasure to tell Ivan's story. I love that he is collectively remembered and honoured thousands of miles apart by many. After following his footsteps for the past few weeks, I feel a real connection with Ivan and will go back to his grave on April 11th to lay more flowers on his birthday. Thanks a lot for your comment and best wishes to your family! x
A brave man... I live about 50 miles away from this area but it’s a place I will visit with my wife and boys to show our respects, a true hero and a well put together video.
Hello everyone. My son lives in Edmonton Albert Canada, and he sent the link to this wonderful story. It does show the sacrifice that many young men and women did at that terrible time in history. Our youngest son James is buried in same cemetery as Ivan in Boverton near Llantwit Major where both my wife and I have lived for 50 or so years and while my wife and I were tending his grave over the weekend we also went to Ivan's grave and placed some flowers on his grave. We stayed a short time to reflect on the sacrifice of this brave young airman. In 1951 I did my national service, and after stints at Padgate and Innsworth was posted to No. 13 school of technical training at Melksham in Wiltshire on a course of aircraft instrumentation. After completing the course I was posted to No. 614 County of Glamorgan Auxiliary Squadron at RAF Llandow. So some 10 years or so after Ivan's death I was following in Ivan's footsteps. But now it was Vampire and Meteor jets and Harvard trainers. At 88 years of age now for me a lot of water has gone under the bridge but the wonderful film like this still goes to highlight the huge loss these young people made. Ken Thomas.
Hi Ken, thanks a lot for your brilliant comment which I read with much interest. Sorry to hear about the loss of your Son, who I’m sure you’re very proud of. May I ask his name? I’ll pay my respects to him also when I go to visit Ivan again. Thanks again.
@@whatchrisdoes Hi Chris, My son James grave is not in the military section of the cemetery, as you leave Ivan's grave and walking up the slate path to the exit just before you get to the tarmac road our son's grave is to your right against the boundary wall. Ken and Maureen.
Being from Caerphilly I knew nothing about this. Thanks for sharing 👍
I'm glad this was able to highlight it for you. Hope you get a chance to visit the site. Thank you for watching this.
Thank you for bringing this to light.... My grandfather left the Rhondda and traveled to Messa, Arizona for his pilot training in 1943 and returned back to the UK in early 1944. He went on to fly Typhoons, he passed away in 1991.
Hi Richard, thanks a lot for watching this film. What a proud grandson you must be. Diolch!
Thank you Chris for this great tribute. As a 61 year old American who somehow missed all wars/service, I am still incredibly grateful to all those who have served and sacrificed. As a boy, I remember a few times in school when the principal came into our classroom, whispered to the teacher someone's name, who then was led out of class. We all knew that meant either an older sibling or father had been killed in Vietnam. That child would be gone for a few weeks. So, I was very aware of the consequences of war.
Thanks for watching this, Andrew and for sharing about your own experiences of war at school which is a real testament to the effects of war not only physically, but the loss of parents, brothers, sons and so on. Heartbreaking. Diolch!
An incredible story told so well. RIP Mr. Trafford and thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice.
Chris, my twins Lewis and Morgan were in Mr Ferris' class in at At Martins School. They are now the same age as Ivan was when he died. They were both involved in the initial creation of the memorial. My partner Heatha Webb and myself have taken Ivan's tragic story to our hearts and have adopted his grave to endure he's never forgotten. The double poppy placed at his grave is from us.
Hi Andrew, thanks a lot for getting in touch and for watching this. It's really great to hear about the part your twins had in the memorial. I did see that the grave was very well looked after and had flowers on it when I visited in Ivan's birthday. Really great to hear that he has more friends here. We owe Ivan and those like him, an unspeakable debt. Diolch!
I visit the Memorial around this time each year. Last year and on my last visit on Sunday I felt the Memorial is in need of a "tidy up"l by removing some of the older items and renewing the pilots photograph. I would like to do this. Do I need to get permission from anyone to do this?
Veteran.
Caerphilly Branch of The Royal Welsh Veterans Association.
If only all short documentaries were done this well! Exceptional quality and very informative.
But I believe he was from New Brunswick, Canada, not Brunswick. But people know where you mean and have greater respect for the young man now.
Thanks a lot for watching this and for the comment. Apologies for my error with that, I didn’t know the area as well as I do now. Cheers!
Thank you for this. I'm from New Brunswick and I hope the next time my wife and I travel to the UK to visit Wales.
Thanks a lot for checking this out. Hope you get to visit Wales soon. Happy to send you some recommendations when you do. Diolch!
I am in New Brunswick and did not know this story. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for checking this out!
👌.
We need more of these forgotten stories, They shouldn't be forgotten!
Without the sacrifices These men and women made, we wouldn't be who we are today!
Beautifully and sensitively done. This really is such a moving documentary.
Thank so much for watching this. I'm really glad you enjoyed it.
I came upon this little film out of the blue. I'm so glad I did as, like others, I never knew the story. Congratulations to all concerned in its production.
Thanks for watching, Ricardo!
@@whatchrisdoes Have you ever visited Vimy Ridge? There's a huge monument marking the names of Canadian troops who fought and died there in the first world war. The parcel of land surrounding was given to Canada by a grateful French nation. Maybe there's a part of Wales which is forever Canadian too.
Being from Hartland ,NB and having a History page about Hartland and surrounding area and Centreville ,i THANK YOU for this he is remembered in Hartland as well ...Thank you great job to see this,,i am posting to my Hartland ,NB memories page.
Thanks so much for watching this and for sharing to your page. Very much appreciated!
I live in Caerphilly and had no idea. Thankyou. You learn something new every day.
It was a real pleasure to tell this story. It's mad what's on our doorsteps that we don't know about. I didn't;t know about this story until recently either. So many stories to find out and tell, all over the place. Thanks a lot for watching, Steve!
I do too lol. Been looking for this
Thank you very much for this story. My father, also from New Brunswick, served during the War and I am always interested in stories of those who were there.
I had such a pleasure telling it. You must be very proud of your Father. Thank you for watching.
Excellent. A tragic an interesting tale well-told, and with first-rate filming.
Thanks so much for checking this out Wynford - very much appreciated indeed!
Very nicely done. 👏👏👏. So many young men lost their lives we must never forget them.
Thanks so much!
Fantastic Chris. Outstanding work sir.
Thank so much for the aerial shot and for all your support on this. Diolch!
Very well presented, scripted and narrated. Good filming. Great story
Cheers for watching, lewis and for the kind words.
So many RUclips docs are presented so poorly.
Well done.✌️👍
Lovely tribute
Thanks, Chris!
Story telling is top notch Chris ☺️🙌
Thanks so much, Pete. Hope all is well with you that end.
Thank you for your effort to tell this story. It is very obvious how passionate you are about the project and sharing the story of one man's sacrifice. I heard about this through your radio interview today and it made an impact on me. I am from New Brunswick, not too far from Ivan's hometown. My grandfather was in the military also training and working in UK during WWII and I am so proud of his service. What an amazing project that the community have gone through to make this memorial, so touching. Thank you.
Hi Michelle, thanks so much for watching this film and for the very kind words. I feel very lucky to have been able to tell this story through which I have made friends and found out so much about those who make the ultimate sacrifice. Diolch!
Great film Chris, a really interesting and well told story and a fitting tribute. I am pleased that my Spitfire clips fitted in so well.
Thanks so much John and for the use of your brilliant Spitfire footage. What an experience that must have been. I'm keen to do something similar myself when the apocalypse is over. Thanks again - I owe you a pint!
Thank you for your hard work on this film. It is clear that it was very well researched and your presentation was very moving.
I really appreciate you checking this out. It was a real pleasure to tell this story. I've been watching some of your films - really enjoying. Diolch!
Very well done! It was a pleasure to be a part of this inspiring film.
Thanks for your incredible contribution in this film, Rylan! Diolch!
Chris, Thank you for this. But also a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful people who built the memorial.
Thanks for watching, Michael. We really are indebted to the efforts of Mr. Ferris and everyone involved in the memorial.
Mathew Ferris was my History and Geology teacher, lol. He did an amazing thing for the memory of Ivan.
He really did an excellent job and made a real mark on the community which owes him a lot.
These stories should be told over and over again, lest we forget. Thanks for sharing!
Jeanco from the Netherlands, born 2nd of january 1946.......if born earlier I would have fought for our freedom, too, I’m pretty sure!
Thanks, Jeanco. I really appreciate you checking this out.
I am very touched by not only this story but the real heart felt comments here. Absolutely amazing. Well done.
Thank you, Warren! It's been a real pleasure to tell this story and to speak about it with everyone afterwards. Thanks for watching!
Great Tribute! Great Video. I've lived in caerphilly for 15 years and never knew.
Cheers, Daniel. I really appreciate you checking this out. Glad it's highlighted the story and the spot to you. I Didn't know about it until fairly recently either. Diolch!
What great short story. Having family who served and died makes this poignant.
Thanks so much for watching this, Stephen. Diolch!
What a great short story, very moving. Well done to all who helped make the memorial possible and well done Chris for a lovely tribute.
I am from NB and I love seeing and hearing about all this history! Thank you for making this!!!
Thanks so much for checking this out. Very best wishes to NB from the Welsh capital.
This is outstanding. Incredible storytelling, and an incredible story. One of your best.
Thanks a lot for your continued support, Jamie. I really appreciate you checking this out!
It is a nice video.
RIP Ivan. Excellent story telling with visuals to match. Well done. 👍
Thanks ever so much for checking this out. Diolch!
Great story Chris
Thank you my friend!
This is fantastic - definitely one of your best yet. It's clear just how much research and work went into putting this together.
Thanks a lot for helping me out with this. Looking forward to the next one!
Very good , a bit disappointed that our province was called Brunswick on his memorial and also the university..both not correctly identified as New Brunswick
My many apologies for that. I have never visited the area and didn't know as much about the geography as I do now. Thanks a lot for watching.
Well done Chris, another great video.
Thanks so much!
This is absolutely exceptional work.
Thanks, Pete - You're too kind!
What a great film. Thanks.
Thanks so much, Pete!
A very good tribute. Thanks for upload.
Thanks for watching!
Great video and tribute, I live just outside Caerphilly and never knew about this. There was another spitfire crash in machen, just down the road from Caerphilly. The story goes the war had just ended and the pilot's parents lived in Dreathen which is a 2 min walk from machen, he was doing a flyby and lost control, crashing In the field next to the river. My friend who used to live in machen told me he had a sparkplug from it along with a clipping from a news paper.
Thanks a lot for watching this and for the info. I'll look into that. Diolch!
A Wonderful Tribute... Thank You For Doing This....
Thanks, Larry! I appreciate you checking this out.
Great video mate
Thanks mate, very much appreciated!
Great stuff Chris.
Cheers, Lydia!
That was magnificent.🇦🇺👍
Diolch, Aloysius.
Thank you Chris. I knew the basic story, but you have researched the man behind the story so well. His sacrifice & memory live on & part of that will be thanks to this video! #rip
I appreciate you checking this out, Guy. What a sacrifice he gave. I hope he, and others like him are always remembered and respected. Diolch!
Rest in peace Ivan
A very moving documentry
Thanks Chris
Cheers, Andrew!
Great video Chris! I will make an effort to visit that memorial. Thank you.
Thanks for watching, Jack!
A beautiful tribute to a man killed so far from his home but not forgotten by those he sought to protect.
Thanks so much, Clare - so true!
I served for 4 years just along the road at R.A.F. St Athan back in the early ‘80s but never knew about this memorial, thanks for bringing it to peoples attention.
Thanks a lot for checking this out. I've always wanted to visit and have a look around St. Athan base. I used to live under its flight path and some brilliant stuff used to go over. Diolch!
Thank you, Ivan, and all those like you. And thank you, Chris for the effort you put into this research. That last letter home shows the quality of a brave young man.
fantastic film - thanks
Thanks so much for watching, Colin!
Had no idea about this. Nice one, Chris.
Thanks a lot, James! Hope all is well with you.
Fantastic work, and a wonderful tribute from the people of the lovely little town of Caerphilly
Thanks so much for watching!
A very sad story told with great compassion and sensitivity to this brave young man
Thanks so much, Malcolm!
What an amazing story. If that was one of my family members, I would take great comfort knowing that he was fondly remembered and that his grave was tended to. These young men as he stated, were ready to pay the supreme price for what they believed in and it`s quite right that we never forget them and it`s our duty, to educate the younger generations. The accident that this young man had, was a common fault with the Merlin Engine, it was known as The Merlin Cough. When a tight turn or an inverted turn was performed, it caused fuel starvation to the Carburettors, if the Pilot did not have sufficient height to correct this. it resulted in loss of power and the airframe would become stalled, with the inevitable result.
Hi Stephen, thanks a lot for watching this. I appreciate the info on The Merlin Cough, I didn't know about that. What a time of huge risk and sacrifices. We are so indebted to them.
@@whatchrisdoes My pleasure Chris. There is a video on YT taken at an air show at Barton Aerodrome, Manchester. It was 21st July 1996. A De Haviland Mosquito was performing when the pilots fell victim to the same thing, sadly they both were killed and it was all captured on film. Also, if you have seen the film, The Battle of Britain, in the opening scene, a young pilot performs a Victory Roll. You can hear The Cough as plain as day. Stay safe my friend 👍😊.
What an extraordinary generation. Respect, love and admiration.
Great film Chris.
I used to live in Llanmaes, so I know the area well...there were three airfields that each grew until they virtually joined; Llandow, what is now Cardiff Airport and St Athan.
John McGee, the pilot who wrote the poem High Flight, also did his training in Llandow, bit was killed in a crash in Lincolnshire.
Diolch, Richard! John McGee is a name that pops up a lot and probably worth doing a short film on. I'm going to look into it. Diolch eto!
Thanks for posting this - a moving and sad story.
Thanks so much for watching.
I live down the road from Ivan Trafford! Well not that Ivan Trafford but his grandson Ivan Trafford
It's lovely that he has his grandfather's name. Cheers for watching, Jonathan!
I've lived in or around Caerphilly for years and knew nothing about this
It was spoke about a lot more in the 1980s and 1990s than it is now, unfortunately.
@@rocksoliddude1 I moved to Wales in 2001 from SE England, do you know how to get to the memorial as I'd like to visit it to pay my respects
This memorial is just in front of my kitchen window. Access to it is off my driveway .
Thank you . I knew about the crash but you filled in a lot of blanks I hadn’t heard before.
Thanks a lot for checking this out. What a lovely spot you’re in - I’ll pop in for a cuppa next time, haha!
@@whatchrisdoes nice view of my house ( white one) in your drone footage
Great job all!
Thanks so much for watching!
Well told
Thanks for watching, Mark!
Thank you for the tribute and to the people that built the memorial for a warrior far from home.
I really appreciate you checking this out!
Well done Chris - at the end of the day, war is all about individual sacrifice and the pain it leaves in the family.
Good job. I always read, or scan read, all of the names on war memorials, remembering someone you don't know for the time it takes to read their name.
That’s a really nice way to look at that. Thanks for watching this.
Well done pal, in something so many have forgotten, but not me!!
Diolch, Colin!
Lovely documentary. Thank you to all concerned from Ivan Raymond Trafford himself, the people who created the memorial and the producers of this documentary. Long live the United Kingdom and her allies.
Thank you, Neil! Such a sacrifice made by those who fought for our freedom. Eternally greateful!
@@whatchrisdoes You put the BBC to shame. They should be producing more programmes like this instead of the woke crap they are churning out.
Great video, and Mr Ferris was my history teacher from year 7-10, weird seeing him in a documentary
Thank you for checking this out. It’s a small world isn’t it.
A very moving story. Even though you have no connection the poignancy of it all does leave its mark on you. Respect to all involved in making this film.
Thanks for watching, Graham. This story, and ones like it, offer a glimpse of the loss and sacrifice by the men and women who fought for our freedom. Eternally grateful. Diolch!
Lovely tribute. Thank you.
Thank you for watching, Jim!
My father was a Flying Oficer pilot in the RCAF who served mostly in the Indian Ocean. His mother was Welsh.
I was just in Caerphilly and the surrounding region a month ago but I had no knowledge of this story.
We may never see the likes of that generation again.
A great video, very informative and put together with real enthusiasm for this brave man. Look forward to visiting the memorial soon.
Thanks so much for watching this. The memorial is well worth a visit. A scenic place to reflect and pay respects whilst also getting some fresh air. Thanks again!
Well done Chris, thank you from a retired Canadian Airman, BZ.
Hi John, it was an absolute pleasure. Thanks so much for watching.
A very poignant and touching tribute. Well done for sharing this story.
Thanks so much for watching, Michael.
A lovely tribute.
Diolch, Paul! I appreciate you checking this out.
Such brave lads traveling across the pond to fight the Nazis. My father trained outside of Cardiff shortly after he arrived in the UK from the end of 1939 to 1944. He was lucky enough to meet and marry a Tiger Bay born beauty. My mother's maiden name was Lloyd. He along with 3 of his brothers and 4 brothers in law all fought in Europe. They all returned. So proud of them all!
Very nicely put together
Thanks for watching, Rob!
Excellent ! Thanks so much for telling the sad and moving story.
( Pity some oeople seem to have no respect for what people gave )
Thanks so much for watching this!
THANK YOU SO MUCH CHRIS , MUCH RESPECT TO YOU AND YOUR CREW FOR A WELL DOCUMENTED EPITAPH FOR THIS BRAVE YOUNG MAN . WHY PEOPLE FEEL THE NEED TO THUMBS DOWN YOUR STORY IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION , ONCE AGAIN MATE WELL DONE THAT MAN.
Thanks so much. I appreciate the kind words and you checking this out.
Well done Chris, a very interesting and moving story. Professionally produced and narrated. We must never forget one of them.
I really appreciate you checking this out and for the kind words. Diolch!
An unlucky lad who died doing his best, which is all any of us can do. Not all war deaths were stereotypically ‘heroic’ - well done for giving the recognition to this young man, the one he so richly deserves.
Thanks so much, Colin!
Great local story. Sad we lost so many for the good of freedom for all the world
Thanks for watching, Paul!
Very moving tribute..... Thankyou for this.
Thanks a lot for checking this out!
Lovely story with a very sad ending but a well deserved monument for a very brave young pilot so far from his homeland.
Thanks for watching, Aiden.
Very moving tribute.......thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Every day is Remembrance Day. Thank you Canada and your son Trafford for his sacrifice. Too right he is 3500 miles from home, but he is not alone or forgotten and he rests in our green and pleasant land and we will look after him as if he was our own son. That’s our duty. For without him and the others we would not be here today with our freedoms. What a great tribute to him, his family, Canada, and the commonwealth. Thank you.
Well done.. from Canada!!
Diolch yn fawr, William!
Great tribute
Many thanks for watching this. What hero he was.
Well done indeed.
Diolch, James!
Excellent
Tears fell
I really appreciate you checking this out.
Fantastic story 👏
Excellent story 😞👍👍
Thanks for watching, Paul!
Nicely done Caerphilly.
great work very educating
Thanks a lot for watching!