Phillips, Barry J.: my United Nations Protection Force recollections (November 2, 2007)

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Interviewer: Merritt, Elena

ABSTRACT: Interview with Lieutenant-Colonel Barry Phillips Conducted by Elena Merritt on 2 November 2007 The interview begins with Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips explaining his role in the United Nations peacekeeping mission, UNPROFOR, in the Balkans with the Canadian military. Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips describes his uncle's service in the Second World War and how his death affected their family deeply. Lieutenant-Colonel explains when he first joined the Canadian Forces and his family's reaction to his joining. Lieutenant- Colonel suggests that his family understood the potential danger involved in his serving in the military, as Canadians had just seen two World Wars (5:00). Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips tells about the training he received for the UNPROFOR mission. He specifically mentions that he felt prepared, as he had learned and understood peacekeeping tasks and drills from his previous mission in the Golan Heights (8:00). Additionally, Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips expresses how he saw his peacekeeping service in the Balkans as rewarding and useful. Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips discusses the reaction among the local people about the peacekeeping force's presence in the area. Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips and his fellow colleagues outreached into the community by helping local institutions on their own time (16:00). Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips then explains what the overseas situation was like when he first arrived in the Balkans, seeing houses knocked down throughout villages. Witnessing the extreme level of animosity between different ethnic groups was an 'eye-opener' for Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips as a Canadian, as well as for his fellow colleagues (22:00). Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips talks about his interactions with the local people and his seeing the prejudices first-hand. He addresses the United Nations protocol of neutrality and how it was acted out in practice (32:00). Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips discusses the morale of his group during the mission, which needed constant adrenaline daily (35:00). Subsequently, Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips describes a close call his group had in a convoy, where a bullet just missed a soldier. After living on adrenaline, Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips describes that when he came back from the Balkans, he went on a 'memory dump.' This 'memory dump' involved getting rid of the tension, negative thoughts, and regrets (43:00). Lieutenant­ Colonel Phillips then describes some methods, such as sports and games, which help service persom1el to cope with the stress of their mission while overseas. Furthermore, he discusses his relationship with his wife and how she helped with his 'memory dump' on his return from the UNPROFOR mission (52:00). In conclusion, Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips describes how he looks back on his service with UNPROFOR: with pride for its success and with frustration for the lack of support from the Canadian government (1:21).

Interviewee: Phillips, Barry J., b. 1942

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel. Medals and Honours: Canadian Forces Decoration; NATO Special Service Medal; United Nations Protection Force Medal; United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone Medal; Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal

An interview/narrative of Lieutenant Colonel Barry Phillips's experiences whilst serving with the United Nations Protection Force. Interview took place on November 2, 2007.

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation
  • Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.
Resource type Rights statement Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 43.97233, 22.11567
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • PB_746
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by
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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