Leir, Richard Hugh: my Navy recollections (June 10, and 11, 1984)
Interviewee: Leir, Richard Hugh, b. 1921
Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal
ABSTRACT: Rear Admiral Richard H. Leir Royal Canadian Navy (Reel 1, Side 1) Introduction: Listed "dead" in some Navy lists, "alive" after Oct. 1945. P.O.W. from 3 Mar. 1942. Lived in Penticton, spent summers (1929-35) with an uncle in the Saanich Peninsula. Naval ambitions since the age of twelve. Shawnigan Lake School. Civil Service exam in 1939. Accepted after a naval interview, sent to Dartmouth Naval College as a Public School Entry. Appointed as a midshipman to HMS Prince of Wales (battleship), still building so for a few months joined HMS Nelson (battleship). Joined Prince of Wales in which his action station was in the four-gun turret (14" guns) in the spotting and control position. Leir was also a bridge watch-keeper and commanded a 45 foot diesel picket boat. Then commanded a steam-drifter (general supply ship) attached to the battleship. Describes the boat-deck, including a Kitchen-rudder cutter.* Experiences in command of a picket boat and other sea-duties. Comments on his Captain (John Leach) including a fish story. Leir speaks of his culture shock in the RN. Is introduced to President Roosevelt at Argentia. Back in time to the Bismarck incident. Speaks of mechanical problems with the 14 in. guns. In company with HMS Hood (battle cruiser). Describes his view of the Hood blowing up and the battle preceding this. During this time the Prince of Wales' loading trays in the turret jammed this putting three of four guns out of action. (Reel 1, Side 2) Describes the working of the turret and further battle details. To Iceland then to Rosyth for repairs. Discusses the physical strength of the Hood -- quite frail. Speaks of early radar in Prince of Wales and later in HMS Exeter and comments on George Tidy (which see) the radar officer. Returns to details of the ship, Churchill, sailing to Argentia, again meeting Roosevelt and returning to the UK. Sent to the Mediterranean where they fought the Italian Navy. Opened fire early and the enemy turned away. Points out that a successful defence against Italian torpedo bombers resulted in later over-confidence when fighting the Japanese torpedo bombers. After a few months in England they left for Singapore, stopping in Nigeria, and the island in the Indian Ocean. "Peace-time" in Singapore (straight out of Kipling). Navy were alerted to approaching war three days before December 7th. Air raids. The ship sailed north looking for Japanese ships -- turned back and was attacked by Japanese torpedo bombers carrying 2 torps. Prince of Wales hit just under Leir's director position. (Reel 2, Side 1) HMS Repulse (also in company) severely damaged, sinks. Speaks of the Prince of Wales sinking basically due to a torpedo that bent a propeller-shaft and opened the bearing compartments and allowed water into the engine room. Describes bombing attacks, casualties, etc. No power, ship sinking, walked along the side of the ship to the bottom of the hull. Picked up by a destroyer. Admires the Japanese attack. Singapore. Sent to England for his sub-lieutenant's courses but in Colombo, ordered to join HMS Exeter (cruiser) on a "short" appointment. (Speaks of Senior Officers killed in Prince of Wales). Exeter on convoy duty for about two months Sumatra-Java-Singapore. In Singapore, they helped destroy dockyard cranes and a large coast defence gun. Took a fire party aboard the burning Empress of Asia. Comments on the American-British-Dutch-Australian mixed cruiser squadron. Describes Battle of Java Sea. Exeter hit, lost power but retained just enough to operate two 8" main turrets and two 4" turrets in order to sink a Japanese cruiser. Eventually steamed on four (of six) boilers. Remainder of squadron was sunk. Went to sea, met three Japanese cruisers and was eventually sunk, unable to report by radio so nobody knew what happened. Describes sinking and after 30 hrs. beings picked up by Japanese destroyer. Transferred to Borneo in the cruiser Asigara then given over to the Japanese army and, as a result, no names were taken nor Red Cross advised. Returns to the account of his time in the Japanese destroyer, and the excellent treatment they received. Comments on the Japanese naval officers -- favourably! (End of first interview) (Reel 2, Side 2) Put ashore and into the hands of the army. Comments on the conditions in camps controlled by disciplined officers compared to camps without that control. In time he became a "gunkan", a straw-boss for fifty men in a working party and took a beating of sorts if the men did not perform adequately. Worked for ten days, then one day off, sun-up to sun-down. Medical conditions very bad, no doctor, tropical diseases. Twice a day, a cup of rice augmented by tropical fruit and "jungle animals". In camps in the Celebes, Borneo, New Guinea (where the Japanese were in no better health) and Java where they destroyed tea plantations and planted castor beans (for engine lubrication). P.O.W. anecdote. In camp he witnessed a beheading (two victims). Credits his time in the camp to his now complete lack of fear of being intimidated, in our present society. For six weeks after the war, Leir commanded a company of Australians -- the best leadership course imaginable -- putting civilian internees back in their homes. Speaks highly of the tough customers in his group. Tale of assembling Buick and Chev. cars in Batavia and learning strictly on the job -- after six weeks they managed to assemble their first engine and after that they managed to sabotage the remainder by leaving out bearings. Used excess seat covers to make clothes for themselves. In fact he flew out of Batavia in his "Buicks". Left Batavia in an American hospital plane ("hitchhiking"). Weight 107 lbs. First removal (in a kind of sheep-dip) of fleas, lice, etc. Checked for tropical diseases and released with £50 -- bought tropical uniforms -- and celebrated. Still officially missing and presumed dead. Hitched an air ride to Karachi and from there to Britain. Inadvertently became part of "Malaysian Special Force" thus opening doors from Karachi to London. Grieves, the naval tailor, produced a blue uniform complete with campaign ribbons "including that funny Canadian one" (CVSM). Naval H..Q. in London gave him a travel advance and sent him to Glasgow to be in charge of returning seamen to Canada in HMS Puncher (carrier). Comments that his back pay eventually amounted to $11,300! Entering Halifax Leir collapsed. (Reel 3, Side 1) Hospital in Stadacona where he was treated for a number of tropical diseases. Telephoned home to announce that he was alive! Then to Ottawa where it took several days to confirm his existence. Mentions that it took until 1953 to establish his claim that all his clothing and kit had been sunk three times. Sent to the UK to do his complete sub-lieutenant courses (as an Acting Lt.). At Greenwich he found the work very hard, not having read a book or written for about four years. Remembering was very difficult but at the end was receiving good marks. Gunnery course at Whale Island then to the Mediterranean in HMS Chevron (destroyer) then to HMS Brisendon as First Lieutenant. Duties in the Med. included stopping illegal immigration to Palestine. Eleven boardings against opposition, armed and carried a night stick with which he was specially trained. Describes the boarding technique (p.101). Hours of practice with a two foot night stick (demonstrates). The whole boarding routine was, especially in 1947/48, a very smooth operation, which Leir found v. agreeable. Married in Malta. (p.105) With a considerable culture shock appointed to the Reserve Division in Edmonton (Nonsuch). The "Canadianization" of Leir began. After a year, appointed to HMCS Athabasca (Tribal destroyer) and to Korea. How Athabasca was fitted with new radar (a commercial set) and how well it worked. Operations with the RN cruiser Jamaica. Sasebo naval base re-activated. Leir speaks of Japanese training squadron visiting Esquilmalt when he was Flag Officer, Pacific Fleet (1970). Returning to Korea he objected to the plan to put a South Korean officer in his cabin. It was not done. (p. 116, bottom) Speaks of revenge against the Korean/Japanese guards in Java. A great mind-clearing event. Returns to a tale of his back pay. Received $1345 as reparations for his P.O.W. time. Now gets a small pension as a "burnt-out" veteran somewhat against his will. (Reel 3, Side 2) Second interview: R/Adm. R.H. Leir -- by Capt. Vernon Howland RCN (ret'd). Tapes 16,17,18. Dated 30 March 1980. Not held by this univ. tss. 87 pp. Varies from the Lawrence interview in detail and includes much of the sinking of Prince of Wales and Exeter and in particular the Japanese P.O.W. camps where beheading (Makassar) could be the usual punishment for re-captured escapees (two seen). Prisoners' attitude changed from plans of escaping to plans for survival. Leir made his own clothes from some stolen curtains. Describes method of cooking their rations (woks). Became a "gunkan" in charge of a 50-man work party. Describes the second camp on the island of Boetoeng, in the Celebes -- where they had to build their own camp -- bamboo and palm fronds. Built a dock -- a very hard time. Sold by the Jap. Army to the Mitsui Mining Corp. Much sickness -- cerebral malaria, beriberi, dysentery. Japanese ignored sick men. Became a sick bay tiffee (medical attendant). Describes catching fish as tide changed. Sometimes given locally salted eggs but full of protein that helped the sick. Camp bombed. Shipped out to Makasser then to Batavia. In Java put to work crushing bananas (for their oil) in Glodoch, an old penitentiary. Able to build their first radio (with stolen parts from the dock). Sent by train to the highlands to prepare the ground for castor beans (for oil). White prisoners not popular with the Japanese. Speaks of the relationship between officers and men -- no distinction after a while. By train again to the General Motors assembly plant, building auto engines. This job lasted from early 1945 to the end of the war. Better rations too. At war's end three senior P.O.W. officers went to the local army headquarters and ordered the Japanese to surrender after which the Japanese gave every co-operation. Moved Javanese out of the former European sector -- any opposition meant a bullet -- and moved European civilians back in. Paramedics parachuted in to look after the sick P.O.W.s. Hitchhiked on an American C-54 to Calcutta, dressed in his "Buicks" -- shirt and pants. Trip home described in about same detail as the Lawrence account. * Kitchen-rudder cutter: A fifty foot cutter with a propeller in a housing, controlled by the coxswain, that could revolve 360° causing the boat to change direction. i.e. forward, reverse, and to some extent, sideways.
An interview/narrative of Richard H. Leir's experiences during World War II. Rear Admiral Leir served with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on June 10 and 11, 1984.
Rank: Rear Admiral.
- In Collection:
- 6 sound recordings (MP3)
- 51.45, 0.05
- Original sound recordings on three audio cassettes also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- LRH_262
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/hal-lawrence-collection
- April 23, 2013
- 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. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2013. 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
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