Poltics
It’s far a day in Welsh historical past that will stay in infamy ceaselessly. Today is the Fortieth anniversary of a moment of tragedy on the A465 road, north of Rhymney, that will never be forgotten.
On Friday, November 30, 1984, taxi driver David Wilkie picked up a strike-breaking miner, David Williams, within the early hours of the morning who asked to be driven to Merthyr Vale pit the place he was returning to work, as industrial strike action went on. But he may never have anticipated what was to happen subsequent.
Two hanging miners, at the peak of the dispute, hurled a 20kg concrete block and a post off a bridge over the Heads of the Valleys Road. It landed on the taxi and Mr Wilkie died within seconds. The 35-year-outmoded left at the back of four kids, the youngest of whom was born two months after his death. Mr Williams, was unhurt but traumatised. You can read WalesOnline’s special in-depth feature into the miners strike of 1984/85 by those that lived it, by clicking here.
The scene after the incidnt on Friday, November 30, 1984
(Image: Mirrorpix)
Mr Wilkie had older kids along with his ex partner, along side Jason, four, and Claire, seven, whom he equipped for.. And his fiancee Janice was pregnant with their son Jonathan David, who has grown up never assembly his father.
Papers released by Downing Road revealed how a massive police operation energetic 120 detectives was carried out to “find two men seen running along the bridge shortly after the missiles were thrown”.
Hanging miners Dean Hancock and Russell Shankland, both 21, were arrested within hours. They were later charged and jailed for eight years for manslaughter. They were released on the fifth anniversary of Mr Wilkie’s death. For the latest Welsh news dropped at your inbox take a look at in to our e-newsletter.
It was an tournament that changed perceptions of the miners’ strike. Worthy strengthen for the hanging miners ebbed away after the killing and staff in varied industries became more at possibility of unpleasant picket lines to return to work.
Today marks 40 years on for the reason that tragic occasions unfolded. Jeff Tree was the owner of the agency Metropolis Centre Cars that employed Mr Wilkie. He mirrored on the tragic day on the Fortieth anniversary of his passing.
The incident took place on the A465 road north of Rhymney at the Rhymney Bridge roundabout
(Image: Mirrorpix)
The concrete block which was dropped from a footbridge
(Image: Mirrorpix)
Mr Tree said: “I started City Centre Cars in 1973, and by 1984, we were a pretty busy company. We had a contract with the NCB for a number of years, and I didn’t even realise what was happening. It wasn’t a decided thing that we were going to be strike breakers or anything, it was just that we used to pick up important people for the NCB from Cardiff station and take them to various collieries. It was part of the job as far as I was concerned.
“By the time November arrived, we were very desirous about taking miners who were desperate – desperate – to gain back into work. It wasn’t a case of taking sides, it was about us doing our job and that was it. I may perhaps actually driven David Williams the week before before David Wilkie. I was all over the Rhymney Valley and even all the way down to west Wales.
“On the day it happened, I was just getting up 4.30am – 5am, sorting myself out to go to work and I had a call from the police. David was one of the boys, he really was one of the boys. We had about 50 or 60 drivers at the time, and he was certainly one of the most popular. He was always laughing, always joking, and was a real, real nice guy. It was a hell of a shock.
“At some stage within the day, you can imagine, I was in a bit of a state. Fortunately, I had a solicitor alongside me all day helping me talk about issues with of us, and what we were going to total, it was accurate a daze, really. Thankfully, there was no plans for anybody to transfer to work over the weekend anyway, so it gave me a bit of pondering time.
“We had a meeting with the drivers on the Sunday, and I wrote up some cards giving drivers an anonymous option of whether A, ‘City Centre Cars should not continue taking miners into work’, B, ‘We should continue, but I can’t for personal reasons’, and C, ‘Yes, I think we should continue, and I am going to go ahead with it and continue to be a volunteer’. The vote was 85% in favour of continuing, but there were a few drivers, who, for family reasons, couldn’t continue.
“I had a lot of apt staff, and there was an automatic series achieve out for Dave, and within a few weeks, we would raised almost £30,000 for his family. That was purely voluntary – no person going around with series packing containers or anything admire that, accurate cash being despatched in. To me, that moment made of us realise it has gone too far now.
“It was a point in my life where I was 42 then, I’m 82 now, and I’m very, very, fortunate that I’m very fit, but mentally it was a tough point in my life. They took Dave’s car from the scene where it happened to Chepstow to a forensic laboratory for examination, and a couple of days later, I was the one who had the job of going up and taking all his belongings from the car and returning them to his family. It was very tough.” Be a part of our WhatsApp news neighborhood here for the latest breaking news. You may obtain updates from us daily.
