DIGBY, Jan. 19:- A big
twin-engine bomber crashed shortly after 1 P.M. today at Sea Brook on
the Digby road, some two miles from Digby. The two occupants of the
plane were taken to Digby General Hospital suffering from serious
injuries. Charles Robbins, Rosaway, who was struck by a flying portion
of the plane, was also badly hurt and rushed to the hospital.
One of the injured airman was taken to the hospital by W.F. Webber,
who was driving toward Digby, and whose car just missed being hit.
Sydney Westcott took the other airman and Robbins to the hospital.
The big plane landed squarely
across the Digby Neck Road, blocking the road completely. Drivers of
both cars which took the injured airman to Digby had to turn their
vehicles about and come to town by the round about Digby Neck-Cross Road
route.
A two ton truck owned by Wilfred
Sidney, owner of the Digby Neck Telephone Line, struck by the crashing
plane, and its frame crashed like an eggshell, lies under the wreckage
of the big bomber. As the time of the crash, Sidney and Charles Robbins,
with Allison Merritt, Carman Gidney were loading weir brush for Robbins
weir at Seawall. Merritt was on the truck. The men saw the plane as it
passed over the fields of Joseph Hines and realized it was about to
crash.
They called to Merritt to jump and run. Merritt did, and missed death by a matter
of a split second. Robbins was struck by a piece of the wing as the plane crashed.
It is understood the aviators became lost, and their plane ran out of gas.
SOURCE: Halifax Herald (Halifax, NS) - Thursday, January 20, 1944.
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