[LM24 Race] 1955 the crash that almost ended motor racing

[GT6]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sfptx

Link to details of a programme on BBC 4 this sunday at 21.00

I think this although hard to watch is a must for all Fans of the 24 hours of Le Mans.

[AstonGeoff]

This is available to buy as a DVD from the Bigger Picture, plus the usual sources as well.

These are also the guys that did Lap of the Gods and Chasing the Dream, two good LM documentaries on Rollcentre.

I watched it last year, at times it is heart rending in it's sadness, but it does put to rest the question of what happened once and for all. It does, also, give a great insight to the mindset of the competitors back then too.

Well worth watching imho.

[Trussers]

I too have the DVD, and I thoroughly recommend it. There are of course many resources about this tragedy, some providing more detail than others, and some better researched than others. I admire the honesty of John Wyer in “The Certain Sound”, who was 30 yards away, but was watching Macklin’s Healey spin, and missed the Mercedes altogether.

Christopher Hilton’s book is also a fascinating account.

One of the best analyses I have read is on Mike Hawthorn’s tribute website, written by Paul Frere in about 1975. I’m sure the search engines will help you find it.

The most absorbing thing about this film are the interviews with eye-witnesses, obviously still emotionally affected by their experience. The film took John Matthews three years to make, and was entirely funded by his team. An excellent effort. If you don’t watch it on Sunday, buy the DVD!

[Le Vieux]

Is this a new film?

I have a vague recollection of having seen a programme about the '55 crash some years ago, which also included eye witness accounts, including a young local lad who had gone to the race with relatives.

I agree with Trussers about John Wyer (I admire the whole book for its straightforward reporting of events) and Christopher Hilton's book, but it's a shame that for many people, their perception of Le Mans will be based solely on this accident.

[GT6]

I had assumed it was a new programme but must bow to geoff and trussers in particular for his knowledge of Le Mans, I will be watching with interest.

[AstonGeoff]

Originally Posted by GT6

I had assumed it was a new programme but must bow to geoff and trussers in particular for his knowledge of Le Mans, I will be watching with interest.

I never said I'd watched it last year on TV or DVD!

It's new to TV, but the DVD has been out a few months now

[fieldodreams79]

all race fans should know the history of the sport, particularly, the incidents that helped shaped safety innovations. i don't know about this film, but i dislike the glorification of tragedy we see in modern media. i hope it was completed with class and dignity in respect for those families of the ones lost.

maybe a bit off topic, but wasn't this one incident "nail" for motor racing in Switzerland??

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

all race fans should know the history of the sport, particularly, the incidents that helped shaped safety innovations. i don't know about this film, but i dislike the glorification of tragedy we see in modern media. i hope it was completed with class and dignity in respect for those families of the ones lost.

maybe a bit off topic, but wasn't this one incident "nail" for motor racing in Switzerland??

Indeed it was. I think I'm right in saying that there has been no circuit racing on Swiss soil since 1955 - even to the extent of The Swiss Grand Prix being held outside Switzerland. Many other countries, I believe, brought in restrictions following LM55 and it led to massive revisions to the pit straight at Le Mans.

[Justin Moran]

As a recent(1987- )Mercedes racing fan, I find it hard to watch knowing the outcomes and reprisals, I look forward to supporting the GroupC Silver Arrow(s) on saturday but feel I maybe inapproriately attired in a Mersedes C9 pictured Tshirt. I mean to cause no offence to any that may be present and in truth I only started following Gpc in 1986 so knew nothing of the horror of 1955.

Im not sure why I feel ashamed to wear my colours at Le Mans, other than the reasons stated.

I know Im in a minority of brits as one who chose Sauber Mercedes over Jag, but hey ho, Im a V8 man.

[GT6]

Originally Posted by C9/89

As a recent(1987- )Mercedes racing fan, I find it hard to watch knowing the outcomes and reprisals, I look forward to supporting the GroupC Silver Arrow(s) on saturday but feel I maybe inapproriately attired in a Mersedes C9 pictured Tshirt. I mean to cause no offence to any that may be present and in truth I only started following Gpc in 1986 so knew nothing of the horror of 1955.

Im not sure why I feel ashamed to wear my colours at Le Mans, other than the reasons stated.

I know Im in a minority of brits as one who chose Sauber Mercedes over Jag, but hey ho, Im a V8 man.

The Group C mercs were beautiful machines and there are strong romours of 3 in the group C race so get that shirt out and wear it with pride, I might be a jag fan myself but I appreciate that they were good cars, the accident was a racing incident lessons were learnt and action taken to make the fans safer.

[johngee]

There was also a book published about 20 years ago called 'Death Race 55'. A dreadful title but it was well written by, if I remember correctly, a sports writer from the Daily Mirror (Mark Khan?)and dealt with the accident and the main players from a rather unusual angle.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by johngee

There was also a book published about 20 years ago called 'Death Race 55'. A dreadful title but it was well written by, if I remember correctly, a sports writer from the Daily Mirror (Mark Khan?)and dealt with the accident and the main players from a rather unusual angle.

Brock Yates book, Against Death and Time, covers all the sad incidents that occurred in 1955 in a FACTional piece of literature. The facts of the accidents are covered in the book by a fictional character (racing journalist) who just so happens to be at all the "big" tragedies in racing during the 1955 season; Le Mans 24, Indy 500 (Bill Vukovich's accident), Ascari's accident at Monza are among them.

good read, but pretty depressing.

[Piglet]

Bump - on now...

[rdjones]

It was well worth watch, I might have to get it on DVD.

[Justin Moran]

I was thinking the same thing, very thought provoking coupled with a respect for victims and all those affected.

[GT6]

I would agree very thought provoking, the fact that the accident saw the end of both Mercedes and Jaguar factory teams was news to me but the most interesting thing was the film of the Mercs getting airbourne, does it remind anyone of another flying car at Le mans.

[GT6]

Also noticed that the other drivers are still very much sticking to the way they remember it and bitterness is not far below the surface.

Le Mans could do with a decent memorial to that event rather than a small sign hidden away.

[Justin Moran]

Originally Posted by GT6

Also noticed that the other drivers are still very much sticking to the way they remember it and bitterness is not far below the surface.

Le Mans could do with a decent memorial to that event rather than a small sign hidden away.

I totally agree. A true memorial to those unfortunates who lost their lives in the persuit of happiness.

[Tim the Grey]

For those who missed it...

Broadcasts
Sun 16 May 2010 21:00 BBC Four.
Mon 17 May 2010 00:40 BBC Four.
Wed 19 May 2010 00:30 BBC Four

It's also on iPlayer.

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by C9/89

I totally agree. A true memorial to those unfortunates who lost their lives in the persuit of happiness.

It's a tasteful memorial at the spot where the accident occured - what else do you want? Bunting?

The programme didn't work for me, I didn't like the narration and to me it seemed to lack soul and passion although it's a subject that I have a huge interest in.

[johngee]

Originally Posted by Piglet

It's a tasteful memorial at the spot where the accident occured - what else do you want? Bunting?

The programme didn't work for me, I didn't like the narration and to me it seemed to lack soul and passion although it's a subject that I have a huge interest in.

I have to say I laughed out loud at your first remark!
I share your view of programme - it seemed lacking in emotion and although the surviving eye witnesses accounts were quite harrowing, the rest left me cold.
Having said that, I enjoyed the interviews with Norman Dewis and John Fitch and hope I age as well as they have........and don't say 'you've failed'

[GT6]

How many people have seen it?

It is not exactly in a promenant position and a small piece of tin attached to a wall is not in my opinion a fitting tribute to sports car racing fans that died History should never be sweeped aside and forgotten, increased safety for fans was a direct result of this and therefore those of us that travel each year and stand there have some responsibility to those people, and a tatty sign hidden away is not a fitting memorial IMHO

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by GT6

How many people have seen it?

It is not exactly in a promenant position and a small piece of tin attached to a wall is not in my opinion a fitting tribute to sports car racing fans that died History should never be sweeped aside and forgotten, increased safety for fans was a direct result of this and therefore those of us that travel each year and stand there have some responsibility to those people, and a tatty sign hidden away is not a fitting memorial IMHO

Why does it matter how many people have seen the memorial? Lots of people haven't seem many memorials, it doesn't change the value of them. It's there and it's accessible whilst the track is not live, it's where it is because it's where the accident happened. I'd prefer to see a small memorial onsite than something flashy elsewhere.

These things live in our hearts and our souls or should do, the way we project that into physical "things" is actually of little importance.

There is a permanent memorial - it took a long time but the programme was wrong to say that there wasn't one. Sadly these events take so much out of the communities that they happen within that sometimes the very idea of a memorial is more than people can bear.

John - glad to make you chuckle, the good part of the programme was the eye witness accounts, the only real powerful moment for me was the woman who thought she might never be able to hold her month old baby.

Sadly the rest just didn't engage me...

...and yes, I was amazed at John Fitch's age!

[strider]

Originally Posted by Piglet

The programme didn't work for me, I didn't like the narration and to me it seemed to lack soul and passion although it's a subject that I have a huge interest in.

It didn't work for me either and for some reason I was left feeling uncomfortable after watching it.

[GT6]

The accident did not happen at the exact spot of the tin plate, it started on the track and spread over an area that was packed with race fans, I can understand that these things can touch raw nerves but the current memorial is hidden away and I think that you should not have to search it out, it should be there for all to see remember that for your safety these people paid with thier lives, making a joke about it leaves a bad taste and i think you should appologies for that.