Taylor, James Earl: my Air Force recollections (June 25, 1986)

Interviewee: Taylor, James Earl, b. 1919

An interview/narrative of James Earl Taylor's experiences during World War II. Flight Lieutenant Taylor served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on June 25, 1986.

Rank: Flight Lieutenant.

Interviewer: Aylward, Rick

ABSTRACT: Flight Lieut. James Earl Taylor Royal Canadian Air Force Taylor_J_0139_01.mp3 Taylor, Born on May 26, 1919 at Grandview, Man. He was a member of the militia in Edmonton before the war, but when his unit "went active" he felt that his future lay with the air force. Accepted for air crew and posted for flying instruction at High River. Alta. "Washed out" and remustered as an air gunner at Trenton, Ont. Sent overseas in July, 1942 upon graduation from the gunnery school at Mountain View, Ont. Advance gunnery school in Wales. Heavy bomber conversion unit. As a flight sergeant he crewed up after Christmas 1942. Describes the method of doing so as casual, but very effective in producing a tightly-knit group. Practiced all aspects of bombing and gunnery in Avro Lancaster bombers. (15:00) Posted to No 207 Squadron, R.A.F. in Nottinghamshire. Began operations in the usual way, mining coastal waters. Later bombed U-boat pens, Ruhr Valley, Essen, and other locations. No personal feelings about bombing: the job at hand was to unload the bombs and get home safely. Concern for enemy civilians, for instance, was not a factor. On March 29, 1943 was shot down over Berlin. Coned by searchlights after bombs had been dropped and while on the obligatory photo run. Hit in two engines by flak and by an enemy fighter. Well on fire when he bailed out. Describes bailing-out procedures. Entire crew survived. (35:00) Luftwaffe interrogation centre at Frankfurt. Germans were, on the whole, very correct in their treatment of prisoners. Describes psychological questioning, cells, softening-up process before questions; considerable discomfort and disorientation as to time was experienced. Tough German attitude alternated with pleasant, but pointed conversation. Moved to the N.C.O.'s compound at Stalag Luft 3 at the end of Apr. 1943. Later sent to Stalag Luft 6 in East Prussia. A good camp, well set up, regular delivery of Red Cross parcels. (45:00) Taylor_J_0139_02.mp3 Worked in the camp hospital from Oct. 1943 to July 1944. During this time was promoted to warrant officer, class I. Left East Prussia as the Russian army approached. Moved (perhaps in error) by sea to Germany, then to Stalag Luft 4, a punishment camp. Harsh treatment by guards, meals poor, no Red Cross parcels. Later moved with about nine hundred R.A.F./R.C.A.F. prisoners into a separate compound. Evacuated again in Jan. 1945, marched to the west, slept in fields, dysentery a serious problem. Anecdote. (15:00) Arrived in Stalag 2-A in late March 1945. On Apr. 29, 1945 the Russian army released them. Excellent treatment by the Russians for about two weeks, deloused, moved to better barracks. Turned over to the Americans and then to the British. Flew to England. Leave. Promoted to pilot officer in June 1945. Discharged in Canada as a flying officer in Sept. 1945. Recounts difficulty that he, as a former prisoner of war had adjusting to freedom. Returned to university to study pharmacy. (30:00)

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Aylward, Rick
• Taylor, James Earl, b. 1919

Subject

• Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force
• World War (1914-1918)
• Military history
• World War (1939-1945)

Language

• eng

Date created

• June 25, 1986

Relation

• James Earl Taylor returned in March 1949 to the Royal Canadian Air Force (R.C.A.F.) as a Warrant Officer, Class II (pharmacist); Flying Officer, Oct. 1949; Flight Lieutenant, 1952. Left the R.C.A.F. in July 1953.
• 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

• Germany
• England

Coordinates

• 52.16045, -0.70312
• 51.5, 10.5

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 75 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
• oral histories (literary genre)
• interviews
• reminiscences

Archival item identifier

• TJE_139

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

• November 10, 2008

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 32 kHz. Digitized by HC, 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 2008. 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/xvxz-nf89

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