Interviewee: Howsam, George Roberts, 1895-1988

ABSTRACT: Air Vice-Marshal George Roberts Howsam, C.B., M.C. 116th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force Royal Flying Corps Canadian Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force Howsam_G_0194_01.mp3 (Reel 4, Side 1, interviewed by W. S. Thackray) Planning for possible expansion of flying training. Impressions of the defence bureaucracy in Ottawa, 1937-1939. Government policy dictated that all senior Air Force officers in Canada should be Canadian. This led to unfortunate repercussions for the R.C.A.F. later in England. Early wartime aid by the Americans. (45:00) Training commands established which, by 1943, consisted of 360 training schools. In 1940 undertook a familiarization tour of the United Kingdom and France. Public relations. Problems of building training bases. (40:00) Howsam_G_0194_02.mp3 (Reel 4, Side 2) Offers an account of the construction and establishment of the training base at Yorkton, Sask. Private funds were obtained to enhance mess facilities. In Feb. 1942 was promoted to air commodore and stationed in Calgary. The Northwest Staging Route began and airports became clogged with American aircraft. Appointed to command and reorganize the staging route. Discusses training aircraft, safety factors; North American Harvards were excellent. (35:00) Howsam_G_0194_03.mp3 (Reel 5, Side 1) Much co-operation with the Americans, additional headquarters established. Details of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. In 1944 air training was reduced and Howsam was transferred to Ottawa to plan for the postwar air force. (45:00) Howsam_G_0194_04.mp3 Experiences with the "political factor" in Ottawa. Retired, effective Apr. 30, 1946. Explains some problems with the R.A.F. component of the air training plan. In 1942 particularly there were man management problems of a fairly serious nature. Feels that R.C.A.F. headquarters suffered from some political interference. (45:00) Returns to comments on the Canadian Air Force at the end of the Great War.

An interview/narrative of George Roberts Howsam's experiences during World War II. Air Vice-Marshal Howsam, C.B., M.C. served with the 116th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, the Royal Flying Corps, the Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on May 14, 21, 28 and June 2, 1980.

Interviewer: Thackray, William S.

Rank: Air Vice-Marshal. Medals and Honours: Companion of the Bath (CB); Military Cross (MC)

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Howsam, George Roberts, 1895-1988
• Thackray, William S.

Subject

• Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force
• World War (1939-1945)
• World War (1914-1918)
• Military history

Language

• eng

Date created

• May 14, 1980 to June 2, 1980

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.
• A/V/M Howsam's further distinctions include the Legion of Merit in Degree of Commander (U.S.A.); Order of White Lion (Czechoslovakia); and Commandeur de l'Ordre de la Couronne (Belgium). Special Collections holds additional interviews with A/V/M Howsam.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 4 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic Coverage

• England
• Alberta--Calgary

Coordinates

• 52.16045, -0.70312
• 51.05011, -114.08529

Additional physical characteristics

• Two original sound tape reels (ca. 120 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 2 sound cassette copies : 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
• reminiscences
• oral histories (literary genre)
• sound recordings

Archival item identifier

• HGR_194

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• June 24, 2010

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, 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 2010. 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/sjkq-m639

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