Birch-Jones, Meredith, Peter: my Navy recollections (November 23, 1983)

Public

Downloadable Content

Download selected audio

ABSTRACT: Cdr. Peter Meredith Birch-Jones Royal Canadian Navy Birch-Jones_P_0019_01.mp3 Born on Dec. 10, 1925 in Estevan, Sask. Moved to Victoria about 1930 where he underwent a private school education. Attended the Royal Canadian Naval College (H.M.C.S. Royal Roads) from 1943 to 1945. First posted to the Canadian hospital ship Letitia (converted in 1944) which was sent to pick up released Canadian prisoners of war in the Far East, however the ship suffered a breakdown in Hawaii. Eventually joined H.M.S. Duke of York (battleship) in Hong Kong in the rank of midshipman. Saw Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan: a sobering experience. Refit in Sidney, Australia (1946), then to Britain. Describes a midshipman's life with the Royal Navy (R.N.). (20:00) Appointed to H.M.S. Implacable (fleet carrier). Details sub-lieutenants' course at Greenwich. Returned to Canada. Joined H.M.C.S. Crescent (C class destroyer) in 1948. The ship sailed for China to protect Canadian interests during the civil war there. In the event, they came under the command of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla (R.N.) based at Shanghai. On their turn as duty ship at Nanking, they made a slightly nervous trip up the Yangtze River with opposing armies on each river bank. (45:00) Birch-Jones_P_0019_02.mp3 At Nanking, where they were under very restrictive conditions, about ninety of the ship's company were involved in a mutiny: actually a sit-down strike of about an hour's duration. This was a factor in the investigation culminating in the Mainguy Report. The next duty ship was to have been H.M.S. Amethyst (sloop) which came under attack from Chinese anti-tank guns and was driven ashore. Describes the heavy casualties suffered and other facets of this incident. Crescent paid off in 1949. Commissioned H.M.C.S. Sioux (V class destroyer), the first all-bunk ship in the Royal Canadian Navy. (20:00) Korean War, 1950. Spent six months on naval operations on the west coast of Korea, largely under British naval command. Many long patrols: one of forty-five days. Refueled and provisioned at sea. Participated in the Inchon landing. On the east coast they patrolled as far north as the Yalu River. Carried out shore bombardments and destroyed floating mines. (30:00) During the evacuation of Chinnampo the ship caught a mine cable around a propeller. Luckily they were able to clear it in time to withdraw. In March 1951 returned to a great welcome at Esquimalt. Sent on the long gunnery course at H.M.S. Excellent (Portsmouth, England). In 1954 was term lieutenant at H.M.C.S. Venture for two years. Gunnery officer in the 2nd Escort (Training) Squadron. East coast command gunnery officer in 1958. Discusses problems with the new three-inch seventy-calibre gun for the 257 class destroyer. Executive officer in H.M.C.S. Restigouche II (Restigouche class DDE). Air force staff college in 1964. Promoted to Commander. Appointed Assistant Director of Common Military Training. In 1967 commanded H.M.C.S. Margaree II (DDH destroyer). (40:00) Deputy director of the staff college followed by an appointment as executive officer in H.M.C.S. Provider II (operational support ship), and later Queen's Harbour Master. Retired in 1975. Difficult to adjust to unification. Strictly a politically motivated change, not a service necessity. The Minister of Defence dug in his heels in the face of opposition with the result that service efficiency deteriorated. (43:00)

Rank: Commander.

An interview/narrative of Peter Meredith Birch-Jones's experiences during World War II and the Korean War. Commander Birch-Jones served with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on November 23 and 25, 1983.

Interviewer: Witzel, Morgen

Interviewee: Birch-Jones, Peter Meredith, 1925-2009

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation
  • Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 2 sound recordings (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 36.5, 127.75
  • 40, 127
  • 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 Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • BJPM_019
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • April 5, 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 JW, 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

This page supports the Zotero and Mendeley browser extensions simply click on the extension widget in your browser to save the objects citation.

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details Birch-Jones_P_0019_01.mp3 Public
file details Birch-Jones_P_0019_02.mp3 Public
file details Birch-Jones_P_0019.jpg Public
file details SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail Public