Walton, Thomas Henry Frederick: my Canadian Forces recollections (March 14, 2012)

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Rank: Chief Warrant Officer. Medals and Honours: Order of Military Merit; Special Service Medal; Canadian Forces Peacekeeping Service Medal; 125th Canadian Anniversary Medal; Queen's 25th Anniversary Medal; Canadian Forces Decoration; United Nations Force in Cyprus Medal; United Nations Iraq/Kuwait Observer Mission Medal; United Nations Protection Force Medal

An interview/narrative of Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Walton's experiences whilst serving with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Interview took place on March 14, 2012.

Interviewee: Walton, Thomas Henry Frederick, b. 1943

Interviewer: Eriksson, Camas

ABSTRACT: CWO Thomas Walton was born in 1943. He joined the militia in 1959, under the Young Soldiers Training Plan. At 17, he joined Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and on a pioneer course he became interested in the Royal Canadian Engineers. In 1966, he volunteered for the Canadian Airborne Regiment as he always wanted to be a paratrooper. He recalls leaving for Cyprus on the 8 April 1974, where he worked as the Civilian Labourer NCO in charge of Greek and Turkish Cypriots who worked for the Canadian contingent. He remembers the beauty and warmth of Cyprus as well as how the civilians accommodated the Canadian soldiers. He only saw tension between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots on the Green Line, as opposed to in the work force. On the day of the Turkish invasion, he remembers being on roll call and seeing the Turkish planes arrive. After the invasion, he remembers delivering money to the Turkish Cypriots across the Green Line. He became the bodyguard for Colonel Clay Beattie for the day of the Turkish advance on Nicosia airport. He remembers the actions of that day for which he was awarded the Order for Military Merit (July 22, 1974). CWO Walton provides some amusing anecdotes and describes being diagnosed with PTSD twenty-four years after the mission. He commends the Canadian Airborne’s job in Cyprus and reflects on the experience. He outlines his career after Cyprus and the connections he made. In the last section of the interview, CWO Walton provides anecdotes about life in Cyprus prior to the Turkish invasion such as a greased pig contest, being arrested, his eventual promotion to sergeant, where he was during the Greek coup and evading the UNFICYP police after getting into a fight. 00:00:00 – 00:03:20 – Military career up to Cyprus deployment. 00:03:20 – 00:09:48 – Time in Cyprus prior to the Turkish invasion, rules of engagement, the day of the Turkish invasion. 00:09:48 – 00:22:54 – Describes his day as Col. Beattie’s bodyguard. Greek prisoners at the amusement park, rescuing a young girl, and Nicosia airport. 00:22:54 – 00:30:25 – Defending Nicosia airport, Greek and Turkish soldiers, Ledra Palace prisoner exchange, continuation of civilian labour duties. 00:30:25 – 00:37:22 – Anecdote about looking for a sewage truck. Reflects on the experience, dreams, PTSD, posting to Germany after Cyprus, UN. 00:37:22 – 00:41:55 – Canadian Airborne’s equipment, weapons, performance, and Canadian media coverage. 00:41:55 – 00:52:05 – Memories that have remained, the two missing soldiers, and discusses the two deaths. 00:52:02 – 01:04:57 – Goes through photographs and provides anecdotes, events of the greased pig contest and being arrested. 01:04:57 – 01:17:41 – Describes where he was during the Greek coup, promotion to sergeant, evading UNFICYP police, and exercises after Cyprus.

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 35, 33
  • 51.5, 10.5
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • WT_714
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • March 14, 2012
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 16 kbps and 16 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2012. 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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