Arenig Fawr summit trig point and Flying Fortress memorial
| Site visited | 11 August 2012 | Location |
Arenig Fawr, Snowdonia SH 82643 36949 52.91708°N, 3.74685°W |
| Aircraft | |||
| Manufacturer | Boeing | Registration | 42-3124 |
| Model | B-17 Flying Fortress | Unit | 303rd Bomb Group (Heavy), USAAF |
| Crash date | 4 August 1943 | ||
| Memorial Plaque | |||
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Slate memorial plaque
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-3124
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-3124
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-3124
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-3124
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-3124
Update – 12 July 2021
From the discussion in the comments below:
The new bronze plaque was erected on the 31st August 2019 in atrocious weather by a team comprising of Any Thompson, Edwyn Evans, Andrew Roberts, Rory Trapp, Gwynant Roberts and his son Wil, Gethyn Ap John, Glyn Williams, Bryn Lloyd Jones, Ted McAvoy and Richard Evans. Dilwyn Morgan was not able to be present. A dedication was conducted on the 4th September 2019 attended by about 45 people, including USAF and RAF personnel and local people and a brief service was conducted by Capt. Hans Decker USAF, again in atrocious conditions, followed by two minutes silence and a lone bugle hidden in the mist.
Richard Evans, 7 September 2019
Fabulous photos, especially of the concertina’d aluminium and the contrast with the granite. I was just reading about this while researching the Arenig painters and wondered if you’d documented it. Should have known!
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Thanks Iain. Funny you should mention the Arenig School…
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I love the stories you tell with your photos. You give the context, then zoom in close. The close ups are excellent on their own, but knowing the context gives them meaning, which I like.
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I’m glad you appreciate the visual narrative. Thanks for stopping by Dezra.
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Great abstracts, Graham, but sad to know the source of the twisted metal.
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Thanks Lynn. Finding debris like this always is somewhat poignant.
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its a shame that the slate has been damaged and the stone circle falling down.i was the one with my son craig aged 10 at the time who spent most week ends build and clearing the stone getting them ready to put in place on the finished project,a small chap named mr williams carried the slate slab up arrenig fawr tied on his back with ropes an amazing man he was only 5ft 2ins and it took three of us to lift it off his back and into place,i am now 70yrs young and hope to return to arrenig fawr this year,it will be nice to see it for its 35yrs since i started working on it just in time for the 11th november and the arrival of some of the relatives of the USAF bombers crew who had flown into the uk from america.
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As mentioned above i am making arrangements with my grandson,a couple of his friends and my son craig to revisit arenig fawr in mid october 2015 with a view to if possible repair some of the stone work and tidy the area up in the short time that we will have, three days two nights.
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I was up on Arenig Fawr yesterday and saw the rememberance plaque. So I googled it this morning as I was interested in the story. I have notice that some of you are thinking of doing some work in the next months or so. I would like to help in anyway I can. I notice that it is possible to get a quad bike up from the Trwasfynydd side to around 300 meter from the summit. As a farmers from Cerrig if you would like my help please get in touch.
07885702877
Llŷr
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April 2018. Having seen the appalling vandalism last year I am hoping, in conjunction with Dilwyn in replacing this plaque with one made of a substantial piece of stainless steel which will be professionally engraved and hopefully l be proof against vandalism, theft and corrosion for a long time to come. It may well be that some assistance will be required to physically erect it and I would be pleased to hear of anyone who might be in a position to help. It’s early days as yet as there are a few obstacles to overcome.
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Richard, I’m keen to get involved with this, and could probably rustle up some USAF volunteers to help. If you reply to this, I can supply you with my contact details.
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Dilwyn Morgan the County Councillor from Bala is also involved. We have both visited the scene. I have an estimate for a plaque in bronze which should last a long, long time.
It’s certainly a worth while project.
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Can you contact me at gapjohn@mail.com and I can give you a call to discuss possibilities of getting involved?
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I posted a comment on the AF site “Photo Gallery by Rory …” following a visit last October but have not really had a response. I would be happy to support efforts to renew this memorial either in slate (which seems more appropriate to me) or in Bronze if those already involved. My offer to be involved could be labouring and/or financial. Whoever is in charge/ leading this campaign please get back to me. Thanks, Neil Midgley
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It has semi stalled at the moment but Dilwyn Morgan is still optimistic about it and is pretty confident that the funding will come through
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Update. 1.8.19 – almost there
A new plaque in Silicon Bronze has now been made and it is intended to erect it on or about 31 st August 2019 followed by a short service on 4th September 2019.
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Excellent news
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I would be interested to know who the Mr Williams is that Craig Charnley remembers carrying the original plaque to the top on his back..
Any able bodied volunteers to help with getting the plaque to the top on the 31st August 2019 I wonder. Neither the RAF or the USAF are able to assist with a helicopter.
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The new bronze plaque was erected on the 31st August 2019 in atrocious weather by a team comprising of Any Thiompson, Edwyn Evans, Andrew Roberts, Rory Trapp, Gwynant Roberts and his son Wil, Gethyn Ap John, Glyn Williams, Bryn Lloyd Jones, Ted McAvoy and Richard Evans. Dilwyn Morgan was not able to be present. A dedication was conducted on the 4th September 2019 attended by about 45 people, including USAF and RAF personnel and local people and a brief service was conducted by Capt. Hans Decker USAF, again in atrocious conditions, followed by two minutes silence and a lone bugle rhidden in the mist.
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Congratulations and thanks to all involved. A very worthy cause.
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It was a great team work and enthusiasm by all concerned. The Dedication on the 4th September was again in low cloud, high winds and pouring rain, although it was fortunately clear earlier on which permitted the USAF personnel to appreciate their surroundings. Well supported by USAF, RAF and local people including Glyn Williams who farms the land and who was so helpful throughout both days. A culmination of three years in the planning and execution.
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30th June 2021.Visited again on a lovely day and can confirm the new bronze plaque is weathering well and could last another hundred years. I have a very good photograph taken on the erection day I would like to post
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