Baker, George Malcolm: my Air Force recollections (March 20, 2012)

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Interviewer: Schade, Dan

ABSTRACT: Lieutenant Colonel Baker’s Interview focussed exclusively on 408 Squadron’s work in the SHORAN survey of the North an sub-arctic up until 1957. The discussion covers many of the technical details of the survey from a Navigator’s perspective, as well as various other important details about the survey itself. LCol Baker (then a Flying Officer) flew as a navigator aboard the Canso flying boat, and many of his recollections are of these flights. Finally, Baker offers a very thorough analysis of what life was like in 408 Squadron during the survey work, including the feeling of institutional neglect from the rest of the Air Force at the time. 0:00 Introduction 1:00 Joining the R.C.A.F 4:00 Navigator training at the time 8:10 Entrance to 408 Squadron 11:10 Learning of his role in the Arctic 13:10 Flying the Canso and installing SHORAN ground stations 15:35 Ken Brown and the division between senior and junior officers 18:15 Common perceptions of 408’s work at the time 18:50 Challenges of Navigating in the North 23:30 Thule, the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys and Operation Pillow 29:00 The use and difficulties surrounding SHORAN on the survey 34:00 The Korean war’s impact on the Survey 34:30 The Rockcliffe Mess and a new member’s responsibilities upon joining the squadron 37:45 Feelings of neglect by the R.C.A.F., and hardships of life for family members 42:00 The Dew Line sites 51:00 The Lancaster 57:10 A Canso Navigator’s responsibilities during the Survey 60:00 The end of the Shoradetic Survey and Lt. Col Baker’s trip to Egypt in 1957 67:00 American involvement with 408 Squadron in Egypt. 68:00 Reflecting on the historiography of the Survey 69:00 Perceptions on the impact of the Cold War on 408 76:00 The large number of commonwealth personnel on training 82:30 The culture of aviation during 408’s survey work. 83:45 Unification 87:20 Conclusion

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel. Medals and Honours: Canadian Forces Decoration; General Service Medal; Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal; United Nations Emergency Force Medal

An interview/narrative of Lieutenant Colonel George Baker's experiences whilst serving with 408 Squadron. Interview took place on March 20, 2012.

Interviewee: Baker, George Malcolm, b. 1933

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation
  • Title of paper: "Mapping the North: 408 Squadron and the Shoradetic Survey".
  • Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 40, 127
  • 36.5, 127.75
  • 39.76, -98.5
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • BG_728
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • March 20, 2012
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 192 kbps and 44 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2012. 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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