The “Bawnboy Aeroplane” Recollections
of Wilson Elliot as told to E.J. Brogan
Interview with Cllr Wilson Elliot M.B.E.
As a result of the meeting I attended in the Templeport
Community Centre I realised that there wasn’t much research
done on the ground north of the border. With this in mind I thought
I would call with Wilson, a historian in local events, townlands,
surnames and families. I’ve got to know Wilson well in recent
years so I called to see him at his home.
On the day I called he was sitting in the kitchen so I pulled up a
chair and started to chat about things in general, the weather, the
garden, etc.
Then I asked him,
“Did you ever hear anything about a plane crash in Cavan during
the war.” Without hesitation he looked straight at me and said
“The Bawnboy Plane!”
I asked “What do you know about the Bawnboy plane.”
“I saw it” he answered.
“You saw it in the lake” I asked.
“No” he answered “I saw it coming up the road on
the back of a long lorry. One of them low loaders. I remember it well”
he said, “like yesterday. I was out the back of the house, and
I heard my Mother calling “Come quick.” I ran to the front
of the house to see what was the problem and there it was on the back
of the lorry. Badly damaged in the front, with the wings lying either
side and the colour was grey.”
I then asked “Could you put a date on that.
He said “I do believe it as shortly after my Father died and
he died 7/4/43”.
“Where did you live then?”
“Drumhack. between Mullen & Florencecourt, on the main road.”
“How old were you?”
“19”
Edward J Brogan 26/6/06
