Del Villano, Gary: my Canadian Militia story (March 17, 2017)
Interviewer: Milne, Laura
Rank: Major.
ABSTRACT: The interview begins with the narrator describing his military background and why he enlisted in the army, detailing the beginning of his Reservist career. He then discusses his early days in the Reserve Force (Militia) and also his civilian career as a schoolteacher. After describing his family’s history of military service, the narrator explains the type of training and equipment he was involved with in the Reserve Force, mainly with his company in Timmons, Ontario. Comradery, leadership and the differences in military rank were then discussed regarding the life of a solider. The changing role of the Reserve Force after World War II, including Canadian commitments in the Korean War and the Cold War, was then discussed regarding changing policy on civil defense. The narrator then discussed funding and recruitment for the Reserve Force as well as other differences between the Reserve and Regular Forces. The narrator then described his experiences as part of the 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in West Germany from 1968 – 1972. The narrator concluded the interview with a summary of his military service. Time Log 0:00 – 3:22 Background and Enlistment, including involvement in Army Cadets, Algonquin Regiment, Infantry to Armoured Corp and the beginning of Reservist career 3:22 – 5:18 Career in Militia (Reserve Forces) and life as a schoolteacher 5:18 – 7:03 Reasons for enlistment in military and memories of end of WWII 7:03 – 7:54 Family history of military service 7:54 – 11:34 Training and equipment in the Reserve Force, training at company in Timmons, Ontario, Bolt Action rifle, light machine gun (Bren gun), Vickers machine gun, Anti-tank gun,Sherman-M4A2 tank 11:34 – 14:05 Memories of comradery in military, difference between officers and sergeants, leadership in military, and expectations of soldiers 14:05 – 21:30 Role of Reserve Force during and after WWII, military commitments in Korean War and Cold War, changes to civil defense 21:30 – 27:24 Issue of pay in the military, differences between regular and reserve forces, funding and recruiting as issues for the Reserve Force, and stress of the military on soldiers 27:24 – 29:45 Support for PTSD 29:45 – 30:05 Women in the military with the Royal Canadian Dragoons 30:05 – 31:37 Reserve Force and the defense budget, including involvement in NATO 31:37 – 34:03 Sacrifices in the military, including Canadians in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (Use of term, ‘cutting the grass’, which means to pacify a volatile region, 32:50) 34:03 – 37:10 Change from of term militia to Army Reserve Force and training in the Reserve Force, including training in Yakama, Washington 37:10 – 44:30 Conversion from infantry battalion to tank regiment in 1954, travel between reserve bases, Camp Borden (39:20), and duties as a loader-operator 44:30 – 46:15 Recruitment and funding as issues for the military 46:15 - 48:55 Peacekeeping with the reserve and regular forces, Canadians in West Germany (47:00), move to Lahr and Badenbaden (47:05), and memories of army chaplain (48:08) 48:55 – 49:57 Reservists in West Germany and training as a way of life in the military 49:57 – 50:13 Funding in the military 50:13 – 1:00:28 Canadians in Western Germany, 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, differences between NATO and Warsaw Pact, German Panzer Divisions (53:14), Central Army Group, nuclear weapons held by Canadians, (56:00), Centurion tanks, issue of conscripted Americans (57:25) 1:00:28 – 1:02:08 Canadian army families in West Germany in Private Military Quarters (PMQ) 1:02:08 – 1:09:01Training in West Germany, training by Germans and British in Canada, Standard Agreements and narrator’s deployment in Cyprus 1:09:01 - 1:09:25 Summary of military service 1:09:25 – 1:12:17 End of interview thank-you and signing of release form, importance of education for Canadian defense Suggested Clips & Terms: 0:00 – 3:22 Algonquin Regiment, 7:54 – 11:34 Bolt Action rifle, light machine gun (Bren gun), Vickers machine gun, Anti-tank gun,Sherman-M4A2 tank 29:45 – 30:05 Royal Canadian Dragoons 41:08 General Worthington 50:13 – 1:00:28 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group 53:14 German Panzer Divisions 56:00 Central Army Group, nuclear weapons held by Canadian group
Interviewee: Del Villano, Gary
An interview/narrative of Gary Del Villano's experiences with the Canadian Militia. Interview took place on March 17, 2017 in Victoria, B.C.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- 51.5, 10.5
- Original sound recordings (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- DVG_850
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- March 17, 2017
- 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 2017. 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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