Sheffield Royal Air Forces Association to refurbish Mi Amigo Memorial

[Digger]

Funds are being raised by the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) to renovate The Mi Amigo memorial in Endcliffe Park in time for its 80th anniversary service in 2024.

On 22 February 1944, a heavily damaged B-17 Flying Fortress, call sign “Mi Amigo”, crashed in Endcliffe Park. Pilot Lt. John Kriegshauser manoeuvred the plane to miss nearby homes and children playing in the park, but the US Air Force crew of 10 that were on board tragically lost their lives.

In 1969 the RAFA Sheffield Branch donated funds for a memorial in Endcliffe Park as a tribute to the crew of Mi Amigo. Sheffield City Council’s Parks and Countryside service maintains the memorial with the support of the local community.

On the 75th anniversary of the crash in 2019, a flypast was organised by the Royal Air Force and US Air Force, attended by thousands of Sheffield residents and visitors, and broadcast by the BBC.

The restoration plan, developed by the RAFA and approved by Sheffield City Council, aims to improve disabled access to the memorial and viewing opportunities from the pathway. The plans include:

Replacement of the current timber posts and fences with lightweight painted steel posts and handrails.

Reordering of the steps and provision of new and additional handrails.

Provision of an additional display board and box for family and friend’s memorabilia.

The RAFA are raising funds to complete the renovations and are aiming to complete the works by the end of 2024 in time for the 80th anniversary service on 25 February 2024.

Chair of the Community, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee, Cllr Richard Williams, said:

“The Mi Amigo memorial is an important tribute to the incredible bravery of the crew, and the sacrifice that they made to avoid further losses of lives during the tragic events in 1944.

“The plans for renovating the memorial are really exciting and will help even more residents and visitors pay their respects in the beautiful surroundings of Endcliffe Park.”

[Lysanderix]

In April 2021 the memorial was vandalised when US flags were torn down.

[Ponytail]

 

arc02780

Plaques in memory of Flying Fortress crew (Mi Amigo) which crashed in Endcliffe Park on 22 Feb 1944.

Present at the unveiling 30th November 1969 were the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Alderman Dan O'Neill; the Bishop of Sheffield, Rt Rev Francis Taylor; Major General John Bell, Commander of the 3rd US Air Force in Britain; the president of the Sheffield branch of the RAF Association (RAFA), Mr B. Cruse.

Ten red oak trees were planted at the same time as part of the city's Springclean '69 Plant-a-Tree campaign.

Air Crew: John G. Kriegshauser; Lyle J. Curtis; John W. Humphrey; Melchor Hernandez; Robert E. Mayfield; Harry E Estabrooks; Charles H. Tuttle; Maurice O. Robbins; Vito R. Ambrosio; George Malcolm Williams.

This image is from the mayoral photograph album, 1968-1970 (Sheffield City Archives: Acc. 1989/75).

Photographs of the unveiling 

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The Tree Planting. 

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[Ponytail]

y13409

Sheffield Telegraph 23 Feb 1944.

Report on the Flying Fortress (Mi Amigo) crash in Endcliffe Park on 22 Feb 1944

Air Crew: John G. Krieghauser; Lyle J. Curtis; John W. Humphrey; Melchor Hernandez; Robert E. Mayfield; Harry E Estabrooks; Charles H. Tuttle; Maurice O. Robbins; Tito R. Ambrosio; George M. Williams.

 

[Ponytail]

y13410

From The Sheffield Morning Telegraph 1 Dec 1969.

Unveiling of stone and Plaque 30 November 1969 in memory of Flying Fortress crew (Mi Amigo) which crashed in Endcliffe Park on 22 Feb 1944

Present were the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Alderman Dan O'Neill; the Bishop of Sheffield, Rt Rev Francis Taylor; Major General John Bell, Commander of the 3rd US Air Force in Britain; the president of the Sheffield branch of the RAF Association (RAFA), Mr B. Cruse.

Ten red oak trees were planted at the same time as part of the city's Springclean '69 Plant-a-Tree campaign.

Air Crew: John G. Kriegshauser; Lyle J. Curtis; John W. Humphrey; Melchor Hernandez; Robert E. Mayfield; Harry E Estabrooks; Charles H. Tuttle; Maurice O. Robbins; Vito R. Ambosio; George M. Williams.

[Ponytail]

a04726

Tony Foulds at the United States Air Force (USAF) flypast over Endcliffe Park commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Flying Fortress (Mi Amigo) crash, 22nd February 2019

Tony Foulds was playing football in the park when the Flying Fortress diverted away from him and his friends and crashed. He regularly attended the memorial in the years following.

The flypast was broadcast live on BBC Breakfast.

 

Tony Foulds being interviewed on BBC Breakfast. 

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United States Air Force (USAF) personnel at the flypast over Endcliffe Park commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Flying Fortress (Mi Amigo) crash, 22nd February 2019

The event was broadcast live

There are other images on Picture Sheffield. 

[Lysanderix]

The aircraft’s mission had been to bomb an airfield in occupied Aalborg ,Denmark. Attacked by German fighters and badly damaged the aircraft jettisoned it’s bombs over the North Sea and headed back to its home base In Northamptonshire. She crashed some 80 miles North of her intended destination…..the conclusion being that her communication and navigational equipment would have been badly damaged in the attack….and possibly  the vital crew member to operate them might haven badly wounded or killed.

[Alastair]

Hopefully they will make it more dignified than the mess created by Tony Foulds, aka Phony Toney

https://dawesindoors.wordpress.com/2019/03/31/tony-and-the-mi-amigo-does-it-add-up/

https://dawesindoors.wordpress.com/tag/mi-amigo/

[Heartshome]

What ever you think! What ever you say! The fact is Tony & Dan made the event happen!

More people especially in Sheffield as well as anywhere else, learned about the Mi-Amigo 

crash and the pilots. To honour them was all that really mattered. 👍

[Lemmy117]

Agreed the crew should be remembered, and it has certainly brought it to more people's attention, but they now have a distorted account of what happened. 

[Lysanderix]

I am told by a former ,long serving ,Councillor that our archives contain primary evidence including witness accounts of the crash. 

[Alastair]

I think it's significant that Tony Foulds was never awarded any honours for his project. 

[Lysanderix]

I  think it’s time to stop this criticism of an old man without giving him the opportunity to respond.  This forum doesn’t need personal attacks ….whether justified or not!

[Heartshome]

41 minutes ago, Lysanderix said:

I  think it’s time to stop this criticism of an old man without giving him the opportunity to respond.  This forum doesn’t need personal attacks ….whether justified or not!

TOTALLY AGREE 👍

[Alastair]

Well it is the Sheffield History Forum and not the Sheffield Fiction Forum.

[Lysanderix]

It is a forum run on lines of not having personal vendettas.!

[SteveHB]

Topic closed