Interviewer: Falconer, Cameron

Interviewee: Christmas, Beverley Evans, 1919-1988

Rank: Colonel.

An interview/narrative of Beverley Evans Christmas's experiences during World War II. Colonel Christmas served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on March 12, 1983.

ABSTRACT: Col. Beverley Evans Christmas Royal Canadian Air Force Christmas_B_0028_01.mp3 Born in 1919 in St. Hilaire, Que. (d. May 17, 1988). In answer to a newspaper advertisement in 1937, Christmas applied to join the Royal Air Force (R.A.F.) as a pilot. Appointed a pilot officer (provisional) in 1938, he reported to Royal Canadian Air Force (R.C.A.F.) Trenton where he was to undergo pilot training for the R.A.F. Transferred to Camp Borden, he received his wings in Sept. 1939. He was appointed to the R.C.A.F. and joined No. 1 Squadron. They went overseas to Britain in 1940. He flew Hurricanes and later, with No. 403 Squadron, Spitfires. Sent to the Middle East, in the summer of 1941, to a South African squadron. In England, during the Battle of Britain, the days alternated between long periods of boredom on the ground and periods of intense excitement during dog-fights in the air. Comments that fire was a great danger in Hurricanes, since the gas tank was mounted in front of the pilot and was easily punctured by enemy machine-gun fire. Discusses flying tactics and German bombing efforts (15:00), and some qualities of the Hurricane fighter. Living conditions at Northolt air station were very satisfactory. (25:00) Comments on daily routine. Christmas was later stationed in coastal British Columbia and, before that, in South Africa for a very short time. General remarks on air fighting and personnel in No. 1 Squadron in England. Mentions George Burling. (45:00) Christmas_B_0028_02.mp3 In North Africa Christmas was shot down in the desert by a German while he was protecting two Hurricane photo-reconnaissance aircraft. He was fortunate to be picked up by the British. He mentions that Italian pilots were good, but were inclined not to press home their attacks. Living conditions were uncomfortable; water shortages, sand everywhere, even inside aircraft engines, and visibility often very bad due to blowing sand. (20:00) Anecdotes about the desert and Cairo. After leave in South Africa he returned to Canada in the Aquitania which was carrying German prisoners of war to Boston, Mass. In command of a fighter squadron at Victoria, B.C. Staff College. Overseas again as a staff officer in Belgium and Germany at the end of the war. (35:00) Staff training officer in Canada (several postings). Bagotville, Que., as commanding officer. NATO Defence College. Station commanding officer in Germany. Winnipeg and elsewhere. Appointment as a staff officer at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. Staff officer in Victoria, B.C. 1971-1972. Retired.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Christmas, Beverley Evans, 1919-1988
• Falconer, Cameron

Subject

• Canada. Canadian Armed Forces
• World War (1939-1945)
• Military history
• Battle of Britain (Great Britain : 1940)
• Great Britain. Royal Air Force

Language

• eng

Keyword

• Canada--Royal Canadian Air Force--Squadron, 1
• Hurricane (Fighter plane)
• Great Britian--Royal Air Force
• Spitfire (Fighter plane)
• Christmas, Beverley Evans, 1919-1988--Interviews
• Air warfare
• World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Africa, North
• RAF Northolt (England)
• Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Air Command
• Canada--RCAF Station (Trenton, Ont.)--Air Navigation School, 1
• Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Air Defence Command
• Air bases--Great Britain--Northolt
• Royal Roads Military College
• Fighter planes--Great Britain
• Hawker airplanes
• Canada--RCAF Station (Borden, Ont.)--Service Flying Training School, 1
• Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--General staff officers
• Britain, Battle of, Great Britain, 1940
• Canada--Royal Canadian Air Force
• World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
• World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations

Date created

• March 12, 1983

Relation

• 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

• Great Britain
• Canada
• Germany

Coordinates

• 51.5, 10.5
• 54.75844, -2.69531
• 60.10867, -113.64258

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 90 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

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

Archival item identifier

• CBE_028

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

• May 17, 2007

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 AN, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. 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/ffvb-6861

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