Those aboard fatal flight remembered

12:01pm Thursday 2nd August 2001

The families of 34 pupils and two teachers of a Croydon school who died in a plane crash in 1961 will mark the 40th anniversary of their deaths next week, reports KERRY McQUEENEY.

The 34 boys and two teachers from Lanfranc Secondary Modern School who were killed in a horrific air crash have been remembered at the borough's annual memorial service.

Next week is the 40th anniversary of the air crash which killed the students and teachers of the Thornton Heath school, now the Archbishop Lanfranc School.

The Viking airliner carrying the 36 Croydonians crashed as it approached the Sola Airport near Stavanger in Norway on August 9, 1961. Many of the group, flying to a camping holiday in the Norwegian highlands, had never flown before.

Ron Cox, who was the head of social studies at Lanfranc School in 1961, narrowly escaped being another victim on the doomed flight as he wanted to spend more time with his wife and child so decided not to join the party, .

Ron, who refused the invitation to spend time with his wife and child, reflected on the tragedy and his narrow escape. He said last month: “This accident killed, in a few seconds, 34 of the brightest and most highly regarded boys in the senior part of the school, two greatly-respected members of staff and three dedicated aircrew.”

A replica of the Norwegian cross, a gift from the people of Stavanger, stands in the memorial gardens of Croydon crematorium.

The victims were remembered at Croydon's annual memorial day for the dead of the borough, on June 10.

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