The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Relation looking for clues over fate of ‘Uncle Charlie’
Dundee-born reporter missed flight which claimed lives of Busby Babes – but died two days later of a heart attack
He was the Dundee journalist who should have been a passenger on the ill-fated plane which killed the Busby Babes.
However, in a cruel twist of fate, two days after the air disaster, which robbed Manchester United of eight players, Charles Caw died of a heart attack.
Mystery still surrounds why Mr Caw did not take his seat on the European Airways Flight 609 which crashed at Munich-riem Airport in West Germany.
On February 6 it will be 60 years since 23 people died in Germany following United’s match against Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup.
Mr Caw’s great-nephew Grant Millar from Angus said: “It’s one of those ‘Sliding Doors’ type of random episodes, but with a sadder ending.
“He should have travelled on the plane carrying the Manchester United team back from Munich in February 1958.
“But a late change in plan or some such thing meant that somebody took his place or that he changed planes.
“Whatever happened had a massive effect on him and he died of a heart attack and hypertension 36 to 40 hours after the crash.”
Mr Caw was born in Dundee in 1894 and saved a boy from drowning at Broughty Ferry harbour in January 1911.
He worked for DC Thomson in Dundee and Glasgow before moving to The People newspaper, where he covered football matches across Europe.
Mr Caw also had a column called “Caw Calling” and was affectionately known as “Uncle Charlie”.
Mr Millar said: “I was thinking maybe he fell ill and someone else took his place.
“My aunt Jill – Charlie Caw’s niece – who lives in Australia, remembers how Charlie stayed with them in London when he was flying abroad to cover European matches – she used to set up the spare room for him.
“You never know who’s out there with more information or even the missing piece in the jigsaw – I’m a great believer in Micawberism.”
A total of 23 people died as a result of the tragedy, including eight sports journalists, who were all travelling on the charter flight.
Manchester United had been to Yugoslavia to play Red Star Belgrade.
The squad and others on board set off for home on a chartered British European Airways plane the following day.
The aircraft, an Airspeed Ambassador 2, stopped in Munich to refuel.
Engine issues led to two aborted takeoffs following refuelling.
By the time a third take-off attempt was made, snow had covered the runway with slush and the aircraft crashed through a fence at the end of the runway and into a house. Seven players died at the scene and Duncan Edwards died in hospital a fortnight later.