Butcher, Ernest M.: my Air Force recollections (June 20, and 27, 1985)
An interview/narrative of Ernest M. Butcher's experiences during World War II. Colonel Butcher served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on June 20 and 27, 1985.
Interviewee: Butcher, Ernest M., b. 1921
Rank: Colonel.
ABSTRACT: Col. Ernest M. Butcher Royal Canadian Air Force Butcher_E_0005_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born on Jan. 23, 1921 in Vancouver and educated at Magee High School (senior matriculation). Accepted for aircrew in 1941. Early training undertaken at the Manning Depot, Brandon, Man., and a number of basic aircrew instructional schools. (30:00) Upon being commissioned as a pilot officer he acquired specialized training at No. 1 General Reconnaissance School at Summerside, P.E.I. (45:00) Butcher_E_0005_02.mp3 Overseas in Sept. 1942 to Britain where he attended a Coastal Command operational training unit in Northern Ireland and was posted to No. 202 Squadron, Royal Air Force (R.A.F.), at Gibraltar. He flew in Catalinas on eighteen-hour patrols every four days, covering the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea. The long patrols were wearying, but living conditions at Gibraltar were good. Promoted to flying officer. After completing one "tour" (eight hundred hours or more of flying time) he returned to the United Kingdom in July 1944 as an instructor in navigation at a ferry training unit in Scotland where aircrew trained for long distance flying. Returned to Canada to the Air Operations Branch, Western Command. (45:00) Promoted to flight lieutenant. Released in Nov. 1945. Butcher_E_0005_03.mp3 (Side 2) Joined the Interim Air Force in Feb. 1946, and was posted to No. 123 (Search and Rescue) Squadron, Sea Island, Vancouver. After courses in radio navigation and armament he became involved with equipment testing at Edmonton. Describes his work with the United States Air Force, including testing of the Loran low-frequency navigation system and work with the R.A.F. testing aircraft and parts in very low temperatures. (19:00) Gives an account of his involvement in the crash of an aircraft at Cambridge Bay in the Arctic in Aug. 1947. (30:00) Training and operational concerns with the Joint Staff in Washington, D.C. are examined. (40:00) In late 1954 Butcher began his appointment at National Defence Headquarters, Postings and Careers. Describes selection process. (45:00) Butcher_E_0005_04.mp3 Posted himself to staff college, Toronto in 1958. (10:00) Gives an account of the course work and frequent practice in decision-making. Promoted to wing commander in 1959. (19:00) Appointed personnel officer for Air Transport Command, Trenton, Ont. Comments on Canadian Yukon and North Star aircraft. In 1963 promoted to group captain and station commander at Trenton. (31:00) In his view integration was a good idea, but unification of the forces was not. A subsequent posting to the Directorate of Service Conditions and Welfare at National Defence Headquarters was not a happy one. His posting to NATO Headquarters in Brussels under Rear-Admiral R.W. Murdoch was very much better. Discusses the contribution and waning influence of Canadians in NATO. (45:00) Returned from Europe to the Directorate of Military Plans, Ottawa, and was later appointed Director of CANEX. Retired in 1972.
Interviewer: Hill, Mark C.
- In Collection:
- British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
- Canadian Forces College
- Murdoch, Robert W. (Robert Waugh “Bob”), 1918-2004
- Canada--Royal Canadian Air Force--Combat patrols
- NATO Headquarters
- Navigation (Aeronautics)--Study and teaching
- Loran
- World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, British
- Great Britain--Royal Air Force--Ferry Training Unit
- Yukon (Transport plane)
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Atlantic Ocean
- Canada--Royal Canadian Air Force--Air Operations Branch--Western Command
- Canada--Canadian Armed forces--Organization
- Canada--Royal Canadian Air Force--Squadron, 123
- Seaplanes
- Great Britain--Royal Air Force--Squadron, 202
- Butcher, Ernest M., b. 1921.--Interviews
- World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, Canadian
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- United States--Air Force
- Canada--Dept. of National Defence--Headquarters
- Canadian Forces College--Study and teaching
- Airplanes--Testing
- Transport planes
- Catalina (Seaplane)
- Canada--RCAF Station (Summerside, P.E.I.)--General Reconnaisance School, 1
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
- Canada--Royal Canadian Air Force
- Canada--RCAF Station (Brandon, Man.)--Manning Depot, 2
- Canadair DC-4M (Transport plane)
- Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-1945
- Great Britain--Royal Air Force--Coastal Command--Operational Training Unit, 4--Northern Ireland--Castle Archdale
- Aeronautical instruments--Testing
- 4 sound recordings (MP3)
- 39.76, -98.5
- 60.10867, -113.64258
- 54.75844, -2.69531
- One original sound tape reel (ca. 190 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 2 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- BEM_005
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds
- May 8, 2007
- 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
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