Canadian Military Oral Histories
User Collection Public
The Canadian Military Oral History Collection is composed of interviews of veterans of WWI, WWII, the Korean War and the War in Afghanistan. Over 370 recordings done by Dr. Reginald H. Roy and his students are the largest holding in this category. Historian Hal Lawrence also donated over 180 recordings that he collected of Canadian Naval personnel.
Collection descriptions
The following are descriptions of the major collections of interviews that make up the collection:
Reg Roy collection
Dr. Reginald H. Roy was the Chair of Military History (1968-1988) and the Social Sciences Research Centre (1970-75) at the University of Victoria. The Reg Roy fonds contains over 370 sound recordings of oral histories conducted over his career and was recognized by Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo in 2005.
Social Sciences Research Centre collection
This is an important subset of the Reg Roy collection of military oral histories and consists of extensive interviews with Major-General George R. Pearkes and other interviews with his family and a number of personal and professional associates for his biography entitled For Most Conspicuous Bravery: A Biography of Major-General George R. Pearkes, V.C., Through Two World Wars (1977).
Hal Lawrence collection
This collection includes approximately 120 interviews conducted by Commander Hal Lawrence in collaboration with National Defence/Défense nationale on the Canadian Navy (1940-1995). Some of these interviews have been transcribed and some are only available as transcripts.
Shawn Cafferky collection
This collection of 14 interviews by military historian Dr. Shawn Cafferky of the University of Victoria's Department of History were conducted in 1997 and refer to the experimental Squadron VX-10, and the testing and use of the Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King helicopter.
Military oral history class interviews
Since 2005, the History Department has offered a Military Oral History seminar course as a component of the Canadian Veterans Oral History Project, a joint project of the Royal United Services Institute of Vancouver Island (RUSI VI) and University of Victoria. The seminar course offers students the opportunity to interview veterans for course credit and the resulting interviews are deposited with University of Victoria Special Collections.
Elizabeth Hazlitte collection
This collection is comprised of six interviews with veterans of WWI conducted from 1983-84 by Elizabeth Hazlitte, a nurse at Victoria's Veteran's Hospital at the Memorial Pavilion.
David Stafford collection
This collection is comprised of nine interviews conducted by Dr. David Stafford, retired history professor at the University of Victoria, for his monograph on clandestine operations in WWII.
Copyright policy
The material is to be used solely for the purpose of research or private study. Any use of the copy for a purpose other than research of private study may require the authorization of the copyright owner of the work in question. The user must assume full responsibility for obtaining copyright permission to publish items in whole or in part.
Although the University of Victoria has permission to make the oral histories available to researchers, the copyright belongs to the interviewees. If extensive passages are used for publication, exhibition or presentation permission from the copyright holder is necessary.
Publication credit
The University of Victoria Special Collections will be given a copy of the book, article, exhibition catalogue, or supporting publication in all cases of publication, exhibition, or presentation of the oral history reproductions. In such cases a credit line citation should read as follows:
University of Victoria, Special Collections, Military Oral History Collection,
[Name of Interviewee], [Record ID Number]
Image: Elizabeth Hazlitte interviewing World War One veteran Egbert Browning in 1983
Permalink: http://vault.library.uvic.ca/collections/4a7eade6-d0b7-4807-8cd2-6eb9c5a66937
Collection Details
- Items 789
- Last Updated 2025-04-01
Parent Collections (1)
Works (789)
381. Harzan, Herbert: my naval experiences (November 10, 2006)
- Title:
- Harzan, Herbert: my naval experiences (November 10, 2006)
- Description:
- An interview/narrative of Commander Herbert Harzan's experiences whilst serving with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on November 10, 2006., ABSTRACT: Commander Herb Harzan Interview with Commander Herb Harzan was conducted on November 10th, 2006 at the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia. Interview was conducted by Titania Guterson. The interview starts with Commander Harzan explaining his choice for joining the Canadian Navy. Commander Harzan began his naval career by entering the Venture Officer Training program. From there he trained to become a pilot. He began by flying fixed-wing aircraft and then he moved on to helicopter training. Commander Harzan explains what a typical training day looked like, including the difference between training on fixed-wing and helicopters. Commander Harzan explains how the system of re-qualifications changed throughout the years. Commander Harzan talked about his different posting including Shearwater, Ottawa, and Victoria. Commander Harzan mentions the HMCS Bonaventure, the DDH where helicopters flew off destroyers, and his time in the VX10 experimental squadron. Commander Harzan explains a helicopter exchange program that he took part in with the United States. He also explores the difference between Canada and the U.S. and between exercises and missions. Commander Harzan flew in both the East and West of Canada and he explains what each was like, how they were run, and what the differences were. Commander Harzan briefly mentions his posting to Europe for two years with NATO. Commander Harzan spent most of his time talking about the Sea King helicopter. Commander Harzan describes Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and how helicopters, ships, and other aircraft played a role. Commander Harzan also goes on to talk about unification and the effects it had on the Navy., Rank: Commander. , Interviewee: Harzan, Herbert, and Interviewer: Guterson, Titania
- Subject:
- Canada. Royal Canadian Navy, Military history, and Naval history
- Contributor:
- Harzan, Herbert and Guterson, Titania
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-10
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--Victoria
- Coordinates:
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Original recording (DVF) on compact disc (CD) 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:
- interviews, sound recordings, oral histories (literary genre), and reminiscences
- Archival Item Identifier:
- HH_481
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-23
- Technical Note:
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 16 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.
382. Frewen, Catherine L.: my Air Force recollections (November 12, 2006)
- Title:
- Frewen, Catherine L.: my Air Force recollections (November 12, 2006)
- Description:
- An interview/narrative of Captain Catherine L. Frewen's experiences whilst serving in the Canadian Forces. Interview took place on November 12, 2006., Interviewer: Jones, Taryn, ABSTRACT: Captain Catherine L. Frewen Captain Catherine L. Frewen was born in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan in 1947 and joined the military as a nurse in 1972. She served as a nursing captain and participated in the first surgical operation performed in the field since the Korean War. She served in the Gulf War. - discusses reasons for joining the military. - discusses orientation and what education nurses needed to have in order to join the military. - the job wasn't quite what she expected. -training and pay. -male nurses and discrimination that they faced. -knew nurses from WWII and the Korean War who had certain expectations of the nurses; discusses the fact that nurses were watched carefully and sometimes reprimanded. - discusses raises received and what her opinion of them was. - discusses what ranks existed and how one was able to raise one's rank. - discusses the importance of bilingualism, and working with Francophone nursing staff. - discusses supplies available to nurses, interaction between civilian and military hospitals and the differences between them. - discusses Medical Assistants and problems that arose. - discusses a nurse's status in society as a woman in the military. - discusses nurses who married and had children, and what family life was like when one worked in the military. - discusses training and preparations for chemical war, and her opinions on it. - discusses treatment and admission procedures for enemies, and gives an example of what happened to an Iraqi patient in the First Gulf War. - discusses what she did in peace time, and says it was like working in a general hospital or general nursing area. Talks about training with the AirVac course and postings to Lahr, Germany, and problems with equipment once they were in Germany. Talks about the standards of German hospitals and sending equipment into the economy. -reflects on time in the Forces, would do it again, but discusses how the Forces have changed since her time. -tells about her time spent aboard the US medical ship Mercy. -compares her training to that of present-day military nursing officers, and discusses uniforms and how procedures have changed. -speaks more about male nurses and what path their careers often took., Rank: Captain. , and Interviewee: Frewen, Catherine L.
- Subject:
- Military nursing, Korean War (1950-1953), Persian Gulf War (1991), Military history, and Women soldiers
- Contributor:
- Frewen, Catherine L. and Jones, Taryn
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-12
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- Middle East and Germany
- Coordinates:
- 33.13906, 35.85869 and 51.5, 10.5
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- One original audio cassette 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:
- oral histories (literary genre), reminiscences, sound recordings, and interviews
- Archival Item Identifier:
- FCL_484
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-18
- Technical Note:
- 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.
383. Allen, Robin W.: my naval experiences (November 13, 2006)
- Title:
- Allen, Robin W.: my naval experiences (November 13, 2006)
- Description:
- Interviewer: Perry, Marie, An interview/narrative of Captain Robin Allen's experiences whilst serving with the Unified Task Force in Somalia. Interview took place on November 13, 2006., Rank: Captain. , ABSTRACT: Captain Robin Allen Captian Allen Interview.mp3 (0:00) Educated in UBC with a degree in electrical engineering. Training involved all aspects of becoming a Naval officer; take charge of warship, and safely manage operations in ship. No specific training for Somalia. Masters in electrical engineering at Royal Military College. (3:14) The Navy has certain capabilities with respect to upper levels of warfare and highly trained technicians. Inherent in a ship is a carrying capability, with the Preserver capable of carrying 600 tonnes in equipment and supplies to support the Army. Other capabilities are sophisticated communication, helicopters, and medical unit. (10:00) Medical side of ship establishes a relationship with hospital. Describes jobs of dentists, doctor and engineers. (15:30) Sept. 2 ordered to prepare to leave. The original mission in Somalia was to support the 'Battle Group' going to Bossasso as part of the UN operation for humanitarian relief. UN dilly-dally until Nov. when The Preserver departs. 5 Dec. mission cancelled to wait for further orders. Become part of enduring Task Force for 'Operation Cordon' (20:00) 10 Dec Preserver arrives in Mombassa. Joint HQ Staff stuck in Ottawa due to snow. Americans take over Mogadishu airport. Dec. 15 Joint HQ Staff arrives and Preserver becomes HQ, which means it now supported 1,300 soldiers over its original crew of 550. (29:50) Preserver was only ship that could play HQ. It has more space and capabilities than other Naval ships. Potentially this will start ball rolling for next generation replacement ship for these operations. Original purpose of Preserver only to maintain Naval fleets offshore for several days. Explains how Preserver was re-supplied for the purpose of supporting the Army (34:20) Environment not entirely benign, but it was unpredictable. Example of Red Cross supply ship. Canada was the only Navy to land ashore. Up to 30 people a day helped with the hospital and packing Hercs. (37:00) If coalitions didn't threaten warlords there was no interaction. Different in countryside where purpose was to keep militia out of operation so as to distribute aid. (39:00) Discusses the 'failure' in Mogadishu, claiming it depends on who says it's a failure. NGOs needed help. Canadians established hospital, schools, and policemen. Canadians know nothing about Somalia. Members of Parliament thought the Canadian Forces were peacekeeping. (44:13) Morale of sailor was incredible. Sailors never trained for this type of operation, yet they worked around the clock. Came up with many innovations: "Can-do Canada." (56:54) Sophisticated communication equipment to talk to National Defense HQ securely and other ships. Complications with Atlantic and Pacific crypto. Communicate with DND through Coalition HQ in area and family for 5 minutes a week by satellite phone. (1:6:00) Takes pride in Canadian soldiers who went ashore to help out. Not shackled by dogma. (1:08:56) 32 NGOs gave the Preserver a standing ovation, in Washington the Preserver was singled out, and Captain Allen received the Meritorious Service Cross for his efforts. But everyone was part of the effort. (1:14:00) Somalia was the most rewarding experience in career. Final comments include that Canadian should have known more about operations in Somalia. Relates Somalia to Afghanistan. (1:19:34), and Interviewee: Allen, Robin W.
- Subject:
- Naval history, Afghan Wars, and Military history
- Contributor:
- Perry, Marie and Allen, Robin W.
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-13
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- Somalia--Mogadishu and Afghanistan
- Coordinates:
- 33, 66 and 2.03711, 45.34375
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Original recording (MP3) on compact disc (CD) 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:
- reminiscences, oral histories (literary genre), interviews, and sound recordings
- Archival Item Identifier:
- ARW_498
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2006-11-13
- Technical Note:
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 112 kbps and 44 kHz. Digitized by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2006. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
384. Taylor, Edith E.: my Air Force recollections (November 13, 2006)
- Title:
- Taylor, Edith E.: my Air Force recollections (November 13, 2006)
- Description:
- Interviewee: Taylor, Edith E., ABSTRACT: Leading Aircraftwoman Edith Taylor Mrs. Edith Taylor was born in Nottingham, England. She was 14 years old when the war began, and decided to follow her brother's lead and join the air force. She worked with the bomber command, where she met her husband Ken. They were married in 1947, the same year that she arrived in Canada. Unlike most of the war brides, Mrs. Taylor flew to Canada. Her and Ken moved into a old granary, but unfortunately lost it in a fire. Ken was killed in an accident on the farm. Mrs. Taylor decided to move to Victoria because farm life and the snow would be too much for her to handle on her own. Mrs. Taylor currently resides in Victoria and is an active member of the War Bride Association., Rank: Leading Aircraftwoman. , Interviewer: Price, Kristin, and An interview/narrative of Edith Taylor's experiences during World War II. Leading Aircraftwoman Taylor served with RAF Bomber Command. Interview took place on November 13, 2006.
- Subject:
- Military history, World War (1914-1918), Personal narratives--Canadian, and World War (1939-1945)
- Contributor:
- Taylor, Edith E. and Price, Kristin
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-13
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- England and British Columbia--Victoria
- Coordinates:
- 52.16045, -0.70312 and 48.4359, -123.35155
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- One original audio cassette 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:
- reminiscences, oral histories (literary genre), interviews, and sound recordings
- Archival Item Identifier:
- TEE_505
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-24
- Technical Note:
- 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.
385. Veronneau, Jean J.: my naval experiences (November 13, 2006)
- Title:
- Veronneau, Jean J.: my naval experiences (November 13, 2006)
- Description:
- Rank: Brigadier-General. , An interview/narrative of Brigadier-General Jean J. Veronneau's experiences whilst serving with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on November 13, 2006., ABSTRACT: Brigadier-General Jean Veronneau Interview with Brigadier-General Jean Veronneau was conducted on November 13th, 2006 at the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia. The interview was conducted by Titania Guterson. Brigadier-General Veronneau entered the Venture Plan in 1954. He explains his choice for this and his choice in choosing the military. Brigadier-General Veronneau was trained at Pensacola, Florida and Kingsville, Texas. He explains his training experience and what it was like to be trained in the United States. He also explains the different aircraft that he flew in and the differences among them. He also talks about the different tests that he had to complete throughout his training. Brigadier-General Veronneau described formation flying and the defensive strength this type of flying had. Brigadier-General Veronneau explains what a regular training day looked like at the different stages of his pilot training. He goes on to explain a couple of his postings including Shearwater and Montreal. He explores the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) training that he took part in as well as the helicopter training he had to complete. Once this training was complete, Brigadier-General Veronneau joined an ASW squadron and he goes on to explain what he was involved in and the type of work he was doing while in this squadron. Brigadier-General Veronneau talks about sonar and torpedoes as well as what 40 feet above and 40 feet below means in regards to ASW operations. He then moves on and talks about the Sea King helicopter and how that aircraft was used in ASW operations. Brigadier-General explains the triangle formation that the Sea Kings flew in to be the most efficient while looking for submarines. Moving on from his naval career, Brigadier-General Veronneau moves on to talk about his time as an Air Force officer and an Army officer. He explores these two careers by going through his different postings and what was involved in each. These include; army college in Kingston, Ontario, helicopter training at Petawawa, the FLQ crisis, base commander, deputy commander in Egypt, Winnipeg, and Ottawa. He explains how he was involved in policy in the later years of his career. Brigadier-General ends by explaining what service was his favourite and what the benefits to each one was., Interviewee: Veronneau, Jean J., and Interviewer: Guterson, Titania
- Subject:
- Canada. Royal Canadian Navy, Naval history, and Military history
- Contributor:
- Guterson, Titania and Veronneau, Jean J.
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-13
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- Québec--Montréal and British Columbia--Victoria
- Coordinates:
- 48.4359, -123.35155 and 45.50884, -73.58781
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Original recording (DVF) on compact disc (CD) 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:
- reminiscences, sound recordings, oral histories (literary genre), and interviews
- Archival Item Identifier:
- VJJ_482
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-23
- Technical Note:
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 16 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.
386. Everard, Jean A.: my Air Force recollections (November 14, 2006)
- Title:
- Everard, Jean A.: my Air Force recollections (November 14, 2006)
- Description:
- ABSTRACT: Pilot Officer Jean A. Everard Pilot Officer Jean Everard was born in 1926 and her father was a farmer in Saskatchewan. She served as a civilian nurse with #1 Wing, RCAF, Marville from 1955 to 1956. She then served in the reserves, and did general duty nursing in the Department of Veteran's Affairs hospital at Sunnybrook in Toronto, Ontario. -discusses why she joined the military, and that she had worked with both men and women and had worked with Department of Veteran's Affairs patients. She used to live on a NATO base in Europe and upon her return to Canada, joined the Reserves. -discusses her family's reactions to her joining the military, and says that she knew a lot of women who were in the military. -discusses her job as a nurse in the psychiatric ward in Canada. and her general duties in Marville, France. In the DVA hospital, her duties were related to neurological work. -talks about the patients that she worked with in the DVA hospital, and what they suffered from. Mentions Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. -discusses her basic training. and comments that it was not enough. There was no psychiatric textbook in the l940s, which is what piqued her interest initially. Was told that her role in the hospital was to keep patients from killing themselves or anyone else. States that she was always learning on the job. -discusses pay and that it was "certainly enough to live on." -discusses promotion opportunities, and how she was unsure of what the criteria for promotion actually was. -talks about women in the service, and how there were lots of lesbian relationships that other nurses were aware of but did not talk about. -discusses the restrictions that were placed upon nurses' behaviour, and how she lived with 7 other nurses while in training. Discusses what the girls did in their time off, and how they got quite ill after the first year from being run down. -talks about what happened to servicewomen who marred - states that they left the service. -states how she started nursing - while on holiday in Europe with a friend, a matron descended upon them and asked when they could start nursing. Discusses that it was necessary to be a registered nurse before joining, but that the hospital was mostly staffed with civilian nurses. -discusses bilingualism. -compares hospitals in Marville, France, Toronto and Montreal. -discusses sexually transmitted diseases, nurses who had affairs and men who visited brothels. -says that there were not enough medical doctors in the Canadian Airforce, so the hospitals were staffed with personnel from Great Britain. -discussed treatment for patients in the DVA hospital, which included talking to them and including them in activities. If a patient was seen to be alone, efforts were to be made to include them in anything that was happening at the time. There was lots of occupational therapy, and nurses were taught how to protect themselves and the patients. Mentions that training progressed with technology, but that training was fairly beneficial. -states that she had no idea what to expect when she joined the service. -although matrons were from WWII and very traditional, she says that there were parties among the nurses every night, as there was very little to do unless one left the base. -discusses her trips around France, Luxemburg and into Berlin immediately post-war. -states that the military was an interesting time, and that in the reserves, you met a lot of people that you had known in Europe., An interview/narrative of Pilot Officer Jean A. Everard's experiences whilst serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on November 14, 2006., Interviewee: Everard, Jean A., Interviewer: Jones, Taryn, and Rank: Pilot Officer.
- Subject:
- Military history, Personal narratives--Canadian, and Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force
- Contributor:
- Jones, Taryn and Everard, Jean A.
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-14
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- Québec--Montréal
- Coordinates:
- 45.50884, -73.58781
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- One original audio cassette 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, reminiscences, oral histories (literary genre), and interviews
- Archival Item Identifier:
- EJA_483
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-18
- Technical Note:
- 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.
387. Fotheringham, Brant: my naval experiences (November 14, 2006)
- Title:
- Fotheringham, Brant: my naval experiences (November 14, 2006)
- Description:
- Interviewee: Fotheringham, Brant, Interviewer: Guterson, Titania, ABSTRACT: Captain Brant Fotheringham Interview with Captain Brant Fotheringham took place on November 14th, 2006 at the participant's house in Sidney, British Columbia. Interview conducted by Titania Guterson. Captain Fotheringham starts by explaining the history of Canadian Naval Aviation. He starts with what the British had in regards to services at the end of World War I and moves into World War II. Captain Fotheringham explains how he joined the Canadian Navy during WWII and how he completed his carrier qualifications on VE Day. Once WWII ended, Captain Fotheringham explains how he was moved around on his way to get home and ended up in Australia. He also explains how he managed to stay in the Navy once the war had ended, which was not his intention. He moves on to talk about the Warrior, the first aircraft carrier that Canada acquired. He also mentions that the Warrior had to go to the West Coast for winter because it didn't have any central heating. Captain Fotheringham makes mention of Lay, an officer who was involved in naval aviation and who like U.S.'s aviation. Captain Fotheringham moves on to talk about the aircraft, the Sea Fury and how Canada came to acquire these. He explains the good and the bad and the statistics of this aircraft. Captain Fotheringham makes a brief mention of his time served in the Korean war and what the pilots role was there, although he was there as a naval personnel and not an aviator. Captain Fotheringham also explains the other aircraft that he flew during his flying days, including the Avenger and its role in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). Captain Fotheringham took part in a staff course and explains how he was able to take this course. He also makes mention to the tri-service college in Kingston, Ontario. Captain Fotheringham moves on to talk about the Bonaventure, the problems and successes and about his time aboard. Captain Fotheringham talks about his time as director of naval aviation and when he was in command of a destroyer. Captain Fotheringham moves on to talk about unification and integration and the effect of this policy on naval aviation. Captain Fotheringham recalls one flight experience and that was when he was trying to be the first pilot to land aboard the Bonaventure once it was commissioned as a Canadian aircraft carrier., Rank: Captain. , and An interview/narrative of Captain Brant Fotheringham's experiences whilst serving with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on November 14, 2006.
- Subject:
- Naval history, World War (1939-1945), World War (1914-1918), Military history, and Canada. Royal Canadian Navy
- Contributor:
- Guterson, Titania and Fotheringham, Brant
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-14
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- Korea (North) and Korea (South)
- Coordinates:
- 36.5, 127.75 and 40, 127
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Original recording (DVF) on compact disc (CD) 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:
- reminiscences, interviews, sound recordings, and oral histories (literary genre)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- FB_480
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-23
- Technical Note:
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 16 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.
388. Smith, Margaret: my wartime experiences (November 14, 2006)
- Title:
- Smith, Margaret: my wartime experiences (November 14, 2006)
- Description:
- Interviewee: Smith, Margaret, Interviewer: Price, Kristin, ABSTRACT: Peggy Smith Mrs. Smith grew up in Scotland, and worked in the munitions factory when the war began. She was engaged first to a British sailor who was killed in 1942, then became engaged and married to a Canadian Serviceman from Nova Scotia. They were married in September of 1945. She came to Canada after her husband in January of 1945 on the Queen Mary. Her husband remained in the army and they lived in the married quarters on the base. Her husband's alcoholism eventually led to their divorce, upon which Mrs. Smith moved to Victoria to be with her children. She has visited England but calls Canada her home., and An interview/narrative of Peggy Smith's experiences during World War II. Interview took place on November 14, 2006.
- Subject:
- World War (1914-1918), World War (1939-1945), Personal narratives--Canadian, and Military history
- Contributor:
- Price, Kristin and Smith, Margaret
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-14
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- England and British Columbia--Victoria
- Coordinates:
- 52.16045, -0.70312 and 48.4359, -123.35155
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Original recordings (DVF) on compact disc (CD) 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:
- reminiscences, sound recordings, oral histories (literary genre), and interviews
- Archival Item Identifier:
- SM_504
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-23
- Technical Note:
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 22 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.
389. Wojciechowski, Sharon E.: my Air Force recollections (November 14, 2006)
- Title:
- Wojciechowski, Sharon E.: my Air Force recollections (November 14, 2006)
- Description:
- Rank: Flying Officer. , ABSTRACT: Flying Officer Sharon E. Wojciechowski Sharon Wojciechowski was born in 1942 and joined the military first in 1964, and then again in 1972. She took her second discharge in 1977, and served as a Flying Officer and nursing captain in the air force. She served in Ottawa and Centralia Trenton. -she discusses the reasons that led her to join the military, and mentions that the recruiting agents had come before her graduation. She also talks about the sense of adventure that came with joining the military, and that her duties were mainly peacekeeping. She came from a large family, and says that her family was somewhat taken aback at her decision. -she discusses the type of patients that she worked with, and that she enjoyed her time in the forces. -compares her time in the military to the state of the present military, and says that she found the expectations of her to be quite reasonable at the time. -discusses what would happen to women who wished to get marred - states that they took their discharge, and that although it could be seen now as having been discrimination, it was accepted at the time. -interview turns back to discussion of basic training, and that she turned to cardiac work in nursing because her father was having heart troubles. -discusses that she felt that there was always something challenging, but that she knew people everywhere she went. However, states that after her marriage, she was worried about getting posted on her own, and that she and her husband had to decide whose career was more important. -states that she would do it again if given the chance, and that nurses were given the chance to further their education. -discusses team effort, and how important it is. -discusses uniforms. -discusses male nurses and what became of them in the nursing profession. - states what her pay was, and talks about the advent of nursing unions. -discusses opportunities for promotion, and how nurses were given the chance to travel. -discusses equipment and training in Trenton. Conversation turns to how much learning on the job there was, and how there was always something to learn. -discusses the opportunities that existed for female nurses during her time in the service, and then goes on to discuss changes in the service, such as the acceptance of marred people. Also notes that male nurses did not get commission during her time in the service, and that there was quite a bit of discrimination against men. -discusses her family's opinion on her joining the services. -discusses what nurses should and should not do, and the fact that were nurses were seen as ladies who did not do certain things. Says that she cannot remember what would happen to nurses who misbehaved, and that no one was "drummed out". -discusses her position in society relative to that of a civilian woman. -discusses the importance of bilingualism and what happened when the bilingual policy was implemented. -closes by saying that she would do it again, and that "it's a career that some people would not enjoy.", Interviewer: Jones, Taryn, Interviewee: Wojciechowski, Sharon E., and An interview/narrative of Flying Officer Sharon E. Wojciechowski's experiences whilst serving in the Canadian Forces. Interview took place on November 14, 2006.
- Subject:
- Military nursing, Military history, Women and the military, Canada. Canadian Armed Forces, Peacekeeping forces, and Military education
- Contributor:
- Jones, Taryn and Wojciechowski, Sharon E.
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-14
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- Ontario--Ottawa
- Coordinates:
- 45.41117, -75.69812
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- One original audio cassette 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, reminiscences, oral histories (literary genre), and interviews
- Archival Item Identifier:
- WSE_485
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-18
- Technical Note:
- 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.
390. Bishop, John R.: my Army recollections (November 15, 2006)
- Title:
- Bishop, John R.: my Army recollections (November 15, 2006)
- Description:
- Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel. , Interviewer: Murseli, Kenan, An interview/narrative of Lieutenant-Colonel John Bishop's experiences during the Korean War. Interview took place on November 15, 2006., Interviewee: Bishop, John R., and ABSTRACT: Lieutenant-Colonel John Bishop Starts with background information on Lt. Col. Bishop. Born in Calgary, moved to British Columbia at age 8 Was 23rd man to enlist in the Canadian Army Special Force in 1950, volunteered to go to Korea out of a sense of adventure -- 18 month commitment to army Public reaction to Korean War was limited, few even knew where Korea was but interest picked up as casualty reports increased, little reported on television though In shadow of Second World War, members of public did not consider Korea as a war, even U.S. President Truman referred to it as a "police action" No anti-war movement as we see today Lt. Col. Bishop began training in Calgary, then at Wainwright and Fort Lewis, WA Sailed out of Seattle 25 November 1950 on Joe P. Martinez, arrived 23 December in Korea Served as infantry section commander (corporal leading 10 men) with 2 PPCLI Initially Lt. Col. Bishop's unit involved in chasing communist guerillas near Pusan -- this served as great training as it was combat but not nearly as dangerous as later in war Fought at Battle of Kapyong, April 1951 -- morale was high here and most times, kept up at the individual level as every person was different and coped differently Very little downtime, constantly on the move, marching from one end of the country to the other, very tough physically -- catching up on sleep whenever possible was crucial, checking and cleaning of weapons and equipment during downtime as well Canadians were equipped well enough, especially since virtually everything they had in the field needed to be carried on their backs Did not see much of the North Koreans, main opposition was the Chinese who Lt. Col. Bishop saw as good soldiers, especially considering the more adverse conditions they faced Everyone dealt with loss of comrades in battle differently -- paid respects and reflected but not dwelling on casualties and getting on with mission was key Korean civilians seldom seen, S. Korean troops really only seen when fleeing the enemy, American units racially segregated and included many draftees (some units better soldiers than others), Australian troops generally older and had significant experience from WWII Lt. Col. Bishop joined the Regular Army in March 1951, became career soldier Korea was the "Forgotten War" because it just did not compare in scale with WWII and was overshadowed by other world events at the time (NATO, Cold War in Europe, etc.)
- Subject:
- Military history, Korean War (1950-1953), and Cold War (1945-1989)
- Contributor:
- Bishop, John R. and Murseli, Kenan
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 2006-11-15
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- 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
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Sound
- Extent:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- Geographic Coverage:
- Korea (North) and Korea (South)
- Coordinates:
- 36.5, 127.75 and 40, 127
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Original recording (DVF) on compact disc (CD) 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:
- reminiscences, interviews, sound recordings, and oral histories (literary genre)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- BJR_495
- Fonds Title:
- Military oral history collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC141
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2013-01-23
- Technical Note:
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 22 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.