The new monument that pays tribute to the 21 people killed in a plane crash in 1946 near Estevan has arrived in the city.
The monument arrived at Bert Baxter Transport's Kensington Avenue location on Thursday afternoon. It will be officially unveilled on Sunday afternoon at the Estevan Airport as part of the Living Skies Airshow.
The monument was carved by chainsaw sculptor Darren Jones, who also carved the Estevan Soldier's Tree Monument. Jones has carved the faces of 17 of the 21 people killed in the crash into a 500-year-old Douglas fir tree. Photos of the other four victims of the plane crash are still needed.
The crash occurred on Sept. 15, 1946. Twenty pilots with the Royal Canadian Air Force and one ground man were killed in the tragedy, which occured at a former location for the Estevan Airport.
Lester Hinzman, who is involved with the committee for the 1946 plane crash monument, is impressed with the monument.
"It's a really good tribute to the men who survived the (Second World) War and came home in 1946, and died in that horrible plane crash," said Hinzman.
Many of the men who died in the crash were decorated by the King of England, Hinzman said. One flew more than 150 missions.
"These are our heroes. These are the ones that we owe our quality of life to. Our freedom we have today is because of veterans."
Hinzman said he hopes the monument can go on the east side of the Estevan courthouse.
The monument started its journey from Jones' hometown of Rimbey, Alta., on Wednesday.
Hinzman said he is looking forward to Sunday's unveilling.
Next week's edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
