Clews, Stephen Raymond Rex: my Canadian Forces recollections (March 24, 2012)

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An interview/narrative of Corporal Stephen Clews's experiences whilst serving with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. Interview took place on March 24, 2012.

ABSTRACT: Reasons for joining the British Columbia Regiment in September 2003 are covered first, followed by a description of his trade in armoured reconnaissance. Stephen Clews has done two tours total, the earlier being one of the first Canadian Leopard 2A6M drivers (Battlegroup Roto 4) and the second as a crew commander for the NSE's Force Protection platoon (Roto 8). He describes training with the Lord Strathcona's Horse Regular Force unit for his first tour and training with 1 Service Battalion for his tour as a crew commander. Some friction was initially encountered during his first workup training with the regular force, but this had smoothed out somewhat during the predeployment training for the second. Personal equipment, weapons, and vehicles for the job are described in some depth. After arriving in the country for Roto 4, he describes the initial activity and move to the forward operating base of Ma'Sum Ghar. As an armoured soldier with tanks, he was involved in combat-oriented operations throughout the local area alongside other mechanized and dismounted elements. On his second tour, Roto 8, there was no combat and he travelled around a lot more of the country. His duties as a crew commander were different from that of a tank driver; on Roto 4, he was caught in an IED blast which was the first to disable a tank in Canada's new inventory. He goes on to describe some of the advanced medical training he received prior and how his HLTA (home leave travel assistance) went during both tours. Upon returning from the first, he was very rapidly rotated out of the country and replacements were hastily put in his place. In the second tour, there was more time to train and prepare the next crew. Decompression, his return to Canada, and some frustration at how things went are covered. His motivation for returning to Afghanistan for a second tour and his shift in attitudes afterwards are the closing sections of the interview. It concludes with a reflection on how combat operations have changed and the views on combatants in this new war. 0:00 – 03:18 – Joining the reserves, description of trade, training with the unit 03:24 – 06:29 – Training with new equipment (tanks, LAV RWS) and regular force units 06:30 – 08:30 – Initial arrival, orientation, and FOB deployment (first tour) 08:31 – 11:06 – Experience as a tank driver, NSE experience as a crew commander 11:18 – 15:42 – Combat experience with the Leopard 2A6M, equipment discussion 15:57 – 17:51 – Areas covered during both tours, medical evacuation (Bagram) in 2010 17:57 – 21:49 – Being hit by an IED during first roto 21:50 – 25:11 – Advanced medical training, home leave travel assistance. 25:24 – 29:22 – Replacements during the first and second tour, LAV vehicle description 29:29 – 33:33 – Decompression, returning to Canada, readjustment/second tour 33:55 – 34:40 – Closing thoughts on the conflict

Interviewer: Conquist, Stefan

Rank: Corporal. Medals and Honours: General Campaign Star; Governor General's Commendation

Interviewee: Clews, Stephen Raymond Rex, b. 1985

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation
  • Title of paper: "Op ATHENA: Enlisted Experiences from Kandahar".
  • Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 33, 66
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (WMA) also available.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • CS_708
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • March 24, 2012
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 22 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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