Dillon, Charles Joseph: my Navy recollections (March 2, and 3, 1983)
PublicRank: Rear Admiral.
ABSTRACT: Rear Admiral Charles J. Dillon Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Canadian Navy (Cassette 1, Side 1) R/Adm. Dillon was rejected on his first attempt to join the Navy because of poor eye-sight but was successful after memorizing the eye chart then in use. Enrolled in the RCNVR in 1931 as a Naval Cadet. First went to sea in a minesweeper. Promoted Midshipman and in 1932 his poor eye-sight was discovered and in due course he became an Acting Pay-master Sub-Lieutenant. Spent several weeks in the destroyer HMCS Saguenay commanded by Cmdr. L.W. Murray. Returns here to the Ottawa Half-Company RCNVR which was housed in an "old shoe shop". Recalls officers (5) and men (60). Trained on old equipment (listed) up to five nights a week. Felt that they were even more "pusser" than the RCN. Joined HMS Dragon (cruiser) in 1936 for summer training where he was introduced to coding. Being the only Roman Catholic officer on board, on Sunday he led 20 or 30 men forward following the old pipe, "Fall-out the Non-Conformists and Roman Catholics". Moving to Montreal he joined the Montreal Reserve division located in a former Bell Telephone garage. In the summer of 1936 he joined HMS Skeena commanded by Capt. V.G. Brodeur. Gives his impressions of Brodeur. (Cassette 1, Side 2) Discusses a picture of the officers in the Ottawa Half-Company and their uniform including frock coats and swords. In 1938 he joined HMCS Venture for a winter cruise. Anecdotes. Obtained his watch-keeping ticket in sail. Visit of the King and Queen in 1939. Called up on 1 Sept. 1939 and sent to Quebec City to the Naval Control of Shipping Office (NCSO) run by the NOIC (Naval Officer in Charge). Dillon was the only officer who could speak French. (Cassette 2, Side 1) Describes location of the office, motor launches and the examination battery. First all-night duty on 4th Sept. Issued first routing instructions to the Cunarder "Alaunia". Next they seized the Italian ship San Giuseppe which caused a diplomatic incident since Italy was not yet at war. Describes two old coast defence guns in the area which he claims had not been fired since 1908! Some "panic" when two enemy submarines were reported in the St. Lawrence River. Efforts were made to obtain two army 18-pounder guns (only shrapnel ammunition), one of which was precariously mounted on the forecastle of the buoy tender Druid. Later an alarm (red flare) was seen, the artillery opened fire on a buoy and two launches nearly opened fire on each other. It was a false alarm, a shooting star, not a red flare. So ended the Battle of St. Jean. Appointed to the Staff Officer, Intelligence at Halifax where he was involved in ciphering and coding. Returning to Quebec, to the Naval Control Office where he was Secretary to the NOIC. In June the Italians entered the war and the Italian ship Capponoli ran herself aground and was captured. In July, 1940 posted to Ottawa as Secretary to the Director of Naval Personnel, Capt. C.R.H. Taylor, later relieved by Capt. H.T.W. Grant. Promoted Acting Pay Lieut. Cmdr. In Jan. 1941. (Cassette 2, Side 2) Naval Headquarters was then in the Robinson Building. Describes various duties and several anecdotes of naval life. Sinking of HMCS Margaree (destroyer). Speaks of Angus Macdonald, Naval Minister. Lt. Cmdr. Dillon went to sea during his next leave, joining HMS Royal Sovereign (battleship). A very rough, cold voyage, during which he improved his ciphering skills. Appointed to HMCS Prince Henry (AMC) on the West Coast as the Supply Officer. Describes the officers and armament of Prince Henry. Work-ups in Georgia Strait. Later routine patrols about six hundred miles of the coast. (Cassette 3, Side 1) HMC Ships Prince Henry and Prince David were sent to aid the Americans in the recovery of the Aleutian Islands from the Japanese. Poor weather (and a shortage of wardroom liquor). Returned to Esquimalt in November, 1942. A hurried marriage as the ship was leaving for the UK. Dillon became ill so he did not sail. Appointed to HMCS Givenchy in Feb. 1943. Shook up the Supply Office by establishing a strict duty roster and arrested a Chief Petty Officer who was stealing food and selling it ashore. Dillon received a reprimand from R/Adm. Brodeur for allowing it to happen in the first place! Joined HMS Nabob (escort carrier) -- Capt. H.N. Lay -- in Jan. 1944 (Seattle/Tacoma) with a largely RNR crew. Embarked 802 Sqdn. Fleet Arm (Avengers) -- unfortunately running aground. After lightening ship Nabob was refloated with aid from a U.S. tug. After a Board of Inquiry the navigator was fired! To San Francisco to board 852 Squadron. (Cassette 3, Side 2) First encountered the low standard of British rations. The low pay of the RN crew was another problem. Aircraft crashes--no pilots lost. Capt. Lay went to Washington and Ottawa to demand Canadian rates of pay and rations for all. By, essentially, putting his career on the line by threatening to demand that he be replaced he was successful. In New York they embarked 50 crated Mustang fighters as deck cargo and sailed in a U.S. convoy to England. Refit at Liverpool where he first encountered the "thieving British worker". After work-up joined the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. Operations against Norway (Aug. 1944). Torpedoed. Discusses the engine room damage--not really serious. Power restored and the ship was able to move at 5-6 knots. Capt. Lay was firm about not abandoning the ship. (Cassette 4, Side 1) About half the crew was transferred. Damage included the main galley so the crew was fed from the wardroom galley. Reach Scapa Flow down twenty-four feet by the stern. Towed to Rosyth where the ship's stores were unloaded in "bulk" as all the ledgers had been "lost" as a result of the torpedoing. Recovery of the dead crew by the officers. Crew left--all but three Pay officers working on the Pay Books. Joined HMCS Niobe waiting for passage in the Queen Mary to New York. Leave in Ottawa. Passed interview board to join the RCN. (Cassette 4, Side 2) Appointed to HMCS Avalon (shore base) in Newfoundland which is described from an operational as well as victually and pay points of view. VE-Day in St. John's was well planned, liquor stores closed but free beer was issued to the troops after a memorial parade. Short course at Naden followed by sixty days leave -- which was cancelled after ten days as he was appointed Supply Officer in HMCS Protector (depot ship, Sydney, NS). Called to Ottawa, Supply and Fleet Accounting that turned out to be another appointment (Acting Commander). Volunteered for the Pacific War. Speaks of sending forces to Korea. Appointed to HMC Dockyard, Esquimalt. Logistic back-up for the war. Comments on Integration. To Ottawa as Naval Secretary (A/Captain) for three years. The Navy build-up began. Command Supply Officer, HMC Dockyard, Halifax 1952-54. Ottawa as Deputy Supply Officer-in-Chief and in 1955, Supply Officer-in-Chief. Imperial Defence College (1960) for a year. NOIC Montreal. Returned to Ottawa as Naval Comptroller (July 1962) and Honorary ADC to Governor General. Promoted to Rear Admiral. No objection to Integration (Note p.140 regarding Navy on alert during Cuban Crisis). Unification came 1 Feb. 1968. Dillon retired before that date, so never wore green. Resignations of senior officers upon Unification. Comment on new Senior Officer positions, boards, etc. Wrote a study on Non-Public Funds for DND after retirement. Worked for the War Museum -- D-Day diorama.
Interviewee: Dillon, Charles Joseph, b. 1912
An interview/narrative of Charles Joseph Dillon's experiences during World War II. Rear Admiral Dillon served with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on March 2 and 3, 1983.
Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal
- In Collection:
- 10 sound recordings (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 45.50884, -73.58781
- Original sound recordings on five audio cassettes also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- DCJ_257
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/hal-lawrence-collection
- April 10, 2013
- 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.
- 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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