Angell, Eric: my Afghanistan armoured experience (March 7, 2019)
PublicRank: Lieutenant-Colonel.
Interviewee: Angell, Eric
Interviewer: Murdoch, Calen
An interview/narrative of Eric Angell's experiences in Afghanistan. Interview took place on March 7, 2019 in Victoria, B.C.
ABSTRACT: This interview with Lt. Col. Eric Angell provides commentary on the experiences of Canadian tank crewman in Afghanistan. Lt. Col. Angell provides us with a short commentary on his early life and the motivations he had to join the army and the way in which he became part of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) Armoured Regiment. He summarizes the earlier deployments he completed in Bosnia as part of Canadian peacekeeping efforts. He moves to his Afghan deployment on Rotation 3 of operation ATHENA. Lt. Col Angell helps us understand the nature of Canadian tank regiments and how it changed during the Afghanistan deployment due to the Canadian government rethinking its commitment to tanks. He describes the daily duties of tank crewman in Afghanistan and what it took to command the Leopard C2 Main Battle Tanks after their deployment in 2006-07. Lt. Col. Angell explains the role that Canadian tanks play as a direct fire mechanism supporting Canadian combined arms teams and provincial reconstruction teams and the lessons learned in Afghanistan that led to the need of Main Battle Tanks. Finally, Lt. Col. Angell speaks about both the limitations of tanks and the effects that the presence of tanks had on both the enemy and other ISAF forces. The interview conclude with a short section on where Lt. Col. Angell sees the future of Canadian MBTs. 0:00 – 5:55 Early life, and motivations to join the Canadian Army and process of joining armoured corps. 6:00 – 12:00 The processes involved in training and becoming assigned to a MBT’s squadron. 12:10 – 13:11 Lt. Col. Angell experience and viewpoint of the relative decline in the usage of tanks on the modern-day battle field. 13:30 – 15:30 Opinion on replacing tanks with Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV III’s) 16:00 – 19:20 The lessons learned on Operation MEDUSA that showed a need for tanks in Afghanistan. 19:30 – 25:00 Daily life in Afghanistan and the preparation and training involved in the Afghan deployment. 25:00 – 27:20 Prevalence of combined arms teams and the role tanks played in combined arms team missions in Afghanistan. 28:50 – 35:30 Reaction to the decision to incorporate MBTs back into Canadian Forces doctrine and the evolution of tank tactics in country. 35:50 – 40:00 The process of switching tanks and the training required to employ the new modern Leopard 2A4 and 2A6’s. 40:28 – 44:30 Some limitations of tanks in the Afghanistan deployment and the effect that tanks had on both enemy and allied forces 44:50 – 49:39 In depth look at the limitations of tanks and how tank crews mitigated these limitations. 49:57 – 52:00 How the experiences of the first tank deployments to Afghanistan were passed down to those rotating into Afghanistan. 55:00 – 1:00:33 Opinions on the future of Canadian tanks. Suggested Clip(s) for Archive: 16:00 – 19:20 The lessons learned on Operation MEDUSA that showed a need for tanks in Afghanistan. 19:30 – 25:00 Daily life in Afghanistan and the preparation and training involved in the afghan deployment.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- 33, 66
- Original sound recordings (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- AE_876
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- March 7, 2019
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 192 kbps. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2019. 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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