A tragic incident at Aberavon beach claimed the lives of two children playing on shipwrecks, sparking memories of a heartbreaking day in 1959.
Aberavon: On August 20, 1959, Aberavon beach was packed with people enjoying a hot summer day. Families and day-trippers flocked to the shore, soaking up the sun and having a great time.
But then, in a heartbreaking twist, two young kids lost their lives while playing on some old shipwrecks just a short distance from the promenade. Colin Walters, who was there that day, remembers it like it was yesterday. He was just a teenager, but the memory of that awful day has stuck with him.
Colin shared that he was hanging out with friends when he noticed a crowd gathering. Curious, he and his buddy went over to see what was happening. In the center of the crowd were two boys lying on the sand, and their family doctor was trying to help one of them.
The boys were identified as eight-year-old Keith Williams from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen and ten-year-old Sandra Chamberlain from Briton Ferry. They had been playing on the wrecks of the SS Brodland and SS Ethelwalda, while three other kids managed to get rescued.
Colin recalled how they were always warned not to play near the wrecks. He could only imagine what happened that day. Kids would often play in the sand around the wrecks, but as the tide came in, they might not have realized how quickly the water was surrounding them.
The tragedy made headlines, with many holidaymakers witnessing the desperate attempts to save the children. The coroner later reported that the kids couldn’t swim and had drowned, leading to calls for the wrecks to be removed.
These shipwrecks had been on the beach for decades. The SS Ethelwalda sank in 1911, and the SS Brodland followed in 1913. After the 1959 incident, the local authorities finally took action to clear the dangerous wrecks, but it took a while to fully remove them.
Even though the wrecks are gone now, their memory lives on. The RNLI lifeboat station was established nearby, and a large anchor from the SS Brodland serves as a reminder of that tragic day and the lives lost.
Robbie Harris, a former RNLI secretary, helped bring the anchor to the lifeboat station. He shared how the local community came together to ensure safety on the beach after the drownings, highlighting the importance of remembering those who were affected by the shipwrecks.