Halladay, Warner H.: my Air Force recollections (August 4, 1987)

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Interviewee: Halladay, Warner H., b. 1921

An interview/narrative of Warner H. Halladay's experiences during World War II. Wing Commander Halladay served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on August 4, 1987.

Interviewer: Torrie, Tom

ABSTRACT: Wing Commander Warner H. Halladay Royal Canadian Air Force Halladay_W_0069_01.mp3 Born on Nov. 20, 1921 near Kingsley, Sask. Joined the R.C.A.F. at Regina, Sask. in 1940 despite being turned down for air crew. Called up in Apr. 1941 for training as a wireless-electrical mechanic at McGill University. Overseas in Sept. 1941 after a very rough crossing with poor food and accommodation aboard a British ship. (10:00) In England was first sent to the personnel reception centre at Bournemouth. Attended the R.A.F. Radar and Communication School at Cranwell. Applied for air crew. Was posted to a radar maintenance unit near London where he was corporal in charge of the heavy radar section. Was promoted to sergeant, advised to prepare for technical officers' board, and then posted for air crew training all on the same day. Elementary flying training on de Havilland Tiger Moths at Derby. Near-disastrous first solo flight in Apr. 1943. Returned to R.C.A.F. command. Service flying training in Canada. Sent on commando course, partly to put in time. (25:00) Was posted to England, trained on Bristol Beaufighters adapted for torpedo bombing, but the need for that skill lessened and he converted to Avro Lancaster bombers. Posted to No. 419 Squadron, R.C.A.F. Flew on three operations only. Explains the "corkscrew" downward maneuver to avoid enemy fighters. Used it only once to avoid a Messerschmitt 262 (German jet fighter). Comments on the good flying characteristics of the Lancaster. Describes living conditions and pay scale for ground crew and for officers. R.A.F. living conditions were spartan, but they were treated well. Great celebration at the end of the war. As a safety move all aircraft were disabled by removing the spark plugs from the engines. Discharged in 1945. (40:00) Took an engineering degree at the University of Manitoba. Rejoined the R.C.A.F. in 1949. Radar and Communications School at Clinton, Ont. In his case the course was not required, so he left early to become maintenance officer at Centralia, Ont., where he flew Douglas Dakotas (DC-3s) fitted out as flying classrooms. As a flight lieutenant was engineering and maintenance officer at Trenton, Ont. Testing and development of electronic equipment at Rockcliffe, near Ottawa. (45:00) Radar testing on the Mid-Canada Radar Warning Line proved that their radars could be jammed by an intruder. Explains procedure in general terms. Electronics at the Cold Lake range. Anecdote. At Air Force Headquarters was involved in new methods of acquiring new electronic equipment. Attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where he completed a Masters degree in engineering administration and management. Afterwards was an exchange officer with the U.S. Air Force in research and development of the electronics for the F-111 fighter. (15:00) A very competitive and hard-driving environment. Wing commander. Returned to Canada where he became involved with improving the telephone data-microwave system which, in the end, was very advanced. In the 1960s he found that integration and his age combined to reduce his chance of promotion, despite being offered a position with a promise of higher rank. Resigned from the forces. Stayed on as a civilian employee for a time, running computer operations. (25:00) Joined a communications task force and occupied other government positions. Retired at age sixty. The Service was a good life; team effort was particularly attractive which is, perhaps, not so prominent under unification. (30:00)

Rank: Wing Commander.

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation
  • Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 54.75844, -2.69531
  • 39.76, -98.5
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
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 Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • HWH_069
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • June 7, 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 AN, 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

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