ABSTRACT: Lieut. (Hon. Col. [U.S.]) Albert W Reid Canadian Intelligence Corps Psychological Warfare Branch, American Military Government Reid_A_0120_01.mp3 Reid was a newspaper reporter in 1916 when he enlisted in the 228th Battalion, C.E.F. Trained at Camp Borden where he was appointed orderly room sergeant for his unit. Shortly after arriving overseas the battalion was converted to the 6th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops as most were experienced in mining and the operation of light railways. To France. Posted to the 4th British Army intelligence section. Sent to Italy as the British required Italian-speaking personnel. In Padua and Rome he was involved in security work. Recalled and commissioned as a lieutenant in the Canadian Intelligence Corps. He was officer in charge of "Intelligence B", counter-espionage, and as such was free to travel anywhere throughout the war zone. Part of his work involved an awareness of those who, if taken prisoner by the enemy, would be in a position to give information. Injured in a motorcycle accident. Hospital and convalescence in England, Oct. 1918. After discharge in Canada he returned to newspaper work. In 1941 joined National Defence Headquarters in communications, but was not successful in rejoining the military intelligence organization. Joined External Affairs where he was employed in psychological warfare against the Italians. Took two Italian civilians to Italy where he was attached to the American military government organization. (45:00) Reid_A_0120_02.mp3 Operated an Italian newspaper in Rome and had considerable contact with Italian politicians in 1944. The Allies were able to regulate all newpaper publishing by the simple expedient of controlling the newsprint supply. Went to Rimini for stories on the Canadian army and later published accounts of the Italian units fighting with the Allies. At the end of the war he was made press director for the U.S. army in Austria. Offers an account of newspaper publishing in Vienna which was under joint occupation. Relations with the Russians were very good on a personal level, but officially they were very difficult. Several examples of this. (30:)0) The profits of the newspaper were difficult to dispose of when he discovered that the only place they could be kept in an Austrian bank was in his own personal account! Anecdotes of Austria. Returned to Canada via the United States. (47:00) (Note: In the Second World War Reid was a civilian with the American Military Government with the honourary rank or equivalency of a colonel in the U.S. army.)

Rank: Lieutenant.

An interview/narrative of Albert W. Reid's experiences during World War I and II. Lieutenant Reid served with the Canadian Intelligence Corps and the Psychological Warfare Branch (American Military Government). Interview took place on May 23, 1980.

Interviewee: Reid, Albert W., b. 1893

Interviewer: Thackray, William S.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Reid, Albert W., b. 1893
• Thackray, William S.

Subject

• World War (1914-1918)
• Great Britain. Army
• World War (1939-1945)
• Military history

Language

• eng

Date created

• May 23, 1980

Relation

• In World War II, Reid was a civilian with the American Military Government with the honourary rank or equivalency of a colonel in the United States Army.
• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic Coverage

• France
• England

Coordinates

• 46, 2
• 52.16045, -0.70312

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 60 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical Repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• interviews
• oral histories (literary genre)
• sound recordings
• reminiscences

Archival item identifier

• RAW_120

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• August 17, 2006

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by SC, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. ; WWI Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2006. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/cp07-zc90

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