Dolgellau Unveils Memorial for 15 Prince of Wales Victims on Disaster’s 60th Anniversary
Updated
Updated · Nation.Cymru · Jul 21
Dolgellau Unveils Memorial for 15 Prince of Wales Victims on Disaster’s 60th Anniversary
3 articles · Updated · Nation.Cymru · Jul 21
Summary
A permanent memorial will be unveiled at Penmaenpool on July 22 to honor 15 people killed when the Prince of Wales sank on the Mawddach Estuary in 1966.
The service, organized by Dolgellau Town Council, will also recognize local residents who rescued survivors from fast-flowing tidal waters after the pleasure boat struck the wooden toll bridge and went down.
Forty-two people were aboard—six above the boat’s 36-passenger limit—and 28 survived, with rescuers including hotel proprietor John Hall and Ronald Davies credited with saving passengers, including two children.
A Board of Trade inquiry found the skipper negligent and noted too few lifejackets on board; the disaster later drove tighter safety rules for pleasure boat trips and ferry operations.
The 3 p.m. ceremony near Dolgellau will bring together victims’ families, residents and the public, underscoring the community’s effort to pair remembrance with recognition of local bravery.