de Faye, Thomas: my Army recollections (June 3 - July 2, 1985)
An interview/narrative of Thomas de Faye's experiences during World War II. Colonel de Faye served with the Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun) and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Interview took place on June 3, 17, 24 and July 2, 1985.
Rank: Colonel.
Interviewee: de Faye, Thomas, 1917-1999
Interviewer: Hill, Mark C.
ABSTRACT: Col. Thomas de Faye The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun) Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry deFaye_T_0167_01.mp3 (Cassette 1, Side 1) Born on Nov. 17, 1917 in Winnipeg. Brought up in Saskatoon where he attended university and, through the Canadian Officers Training Corps, was commissioned into the Saskatoon Light Infantry (S.L.I.). Mobilized at the outbreak of war in 1939, he discusses many aspects of the military at that time: mobilization plan, equipment, training, duties. Overseas to Greenock. deFaye_T_0167_02.mp3 (Cassette 1, Side 2) Convoy impressions. At Aldershot warmly received by the British. Training under Maj.-Gen. Pearkes, new equipment, relations with civilians, the Canadian soldier, impressions of Britain during the "phoney war" period and subsequent years. Promoted to major. Trained in Scotland for the invasion of Sicily. Landed in July 1943 with the 2nd Brigade, commanded by Brig. Chris Vokes. Impressions of the invasion, Italian opposition, civilians, etc. Malaria and hepatitis were problems, the latter more serious. deFaye_T_0167_03.mp3 (Cassette 2, Side 1) Comparison of machine guns. Encountered German troops in Sicily. Leonforte and other towns captured. Air attacks by friendly aircraft. Prepared for the assault on the Italian mainland. deFaye_T_0167_04.mp3 (Cassette 2, Side 2) Crossed the Strait of Messina. Italians surrendered. Action near Campobasso. The Adriatic, Moro River, San Leonardo; moved toward Ortona. Very hard fight for Ortona requiring "mouse-holing", house to house, although the S.L.I. support equipment was not really suitable for close-range fighting. Heavy casualties resulted in the 1st Canadian Infantry Division being relieved for a time. Move toward the Liri Valley. deFaye_T_0167_05.mp3 (Cassette 3, Side 1) General comments on the preceding material. S.L.I. reorganized after Ortona. De Faye then commanded the divisional machine guns and later the divisional mortars. Comparative remarks, some drawbacks to the Vickers machine-gun in the offensive role. Capabilities of the mortars. Florence, where an attempt was made to preserve the city from damage. Supported the Greek Brigade at Rimini. Lamone River action, with the Royal Canadian Regiment. Operation Anvil, the move to northwest Europe. A quiet time until they reached Germany and Holland. deFaye_T_0167_06.mp3 (Cassette 3, Side 2) Considerable sums of Dutch guilders were captured from the Germans, but not much could be purchased. Noticed that the troops tended to be more cautious as the war drew to a close. Some Canadians involved in the black market. Appointed second-in-command of the 4th Battalion, The Royal Winnipeg Rifles, which was part of the Occupation Force in Germany. No fraternization rule. Problem of containing German prisoners of war. Guarded Russian slave labour camp. In Nov. 1945 became Commanding Officer of the regiment. Guarded the former S.S. General, Kurt Meyer prior to, and after, his court-martial. Details of guarding, exercise periods, attitude of officer guards. Meyer's family. (Refers to W.A. Stutt of Edmonton, one of Meyer's officer guards). Details of trial and Meyer's attitude. Feels that Canadian government insisted on a guilty finding. Sentenced to be shot. Sentence commuted to life imprisonment. De Faye feels that direct evidence against Meyer was a little sketchy. deFaye_T_0167_07.mp3 (Cassette 4, Side 1) In 1955, as Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (1 P.P.C.L.I.), in Germany, he met Meyer again. He had been giving lectures on tactics and military history in the officers' mess. Orders received that Meyer was politically unacceptable and could no longer be entertained. Account of plot to release Meyer in 1945. Anecdote. Posted to England for a few months, then repatriated to Canada. Impressions of Canada after an absence of seven years. Joined the Interim Force. Staff College, Camberley. Directorate of Military Training, 1952. deFaye_T_0167_08.mp3 (Cassette 4, Side 2) Commanding officer of 1 P.P.C.L.I. in 1955. Moved to Germany as part of the NATO brigade. Impressions of the German Army; a good professional relationship. Returned to Work Point Barracks, then posted on course to the Joint Services Staff College, Norfolk, Va. Comments on the Canadian Military Tattoo at the Seattle World's Fair. Integration and unification, green uniforms. United Nations observer team in India in 1963/1964. Returned to Kingston, staff position in Ottawa, Germany, Brussels, to the NATO Military Committee. Retired in 1972. Considers career to have been enjoyable and well worthwhile. deFaye_T_0167_09.mp3 (Cassette 5, Side 1) Importance of good officers. Impression of the 1985 Army is of a high degree of expertise in their calling. Certainly better educated now.
- In Collection:
- 9 sound recordings (MP3)
- 51.5, 10.5
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- Two original sound tape reels (ca. 360 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 5 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- DT_167
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds
- February 24, 2009
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 32 kHz. Digitized by QL, 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 2009. 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
