Beardmore, Kim: my experiences serving in Canada's ASW Fleet during the Cold War (March 15, 2017)

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Interviewee: Beardmore, Kim

Interviewer: Cahoon, William

An interview/narrative of Kim Beardmore's experiences during the Cold War. Interview took place on March 15, 2017 in Victoria, B.C.

ABSTRACT: The interview starts with a discussion of the veteran’s early life and what sort of training he received upon first joining the Canadian navy. The interview itself follows a somewhat chronological approach looking at the overall service of Captain Beardmore. The interview discussed the various ships he served on and looked at things such as weapons systems and his individual duties aboard the ships. The cold war tensions presents during the time that Captain Beardmore was serving in was also discussed especially that of the soviet submarine threat that was present. The interview then discussed when he received his first command and the various operations that he took part of during his time aboard the ship. Then the interview discusses the end of the Cold War and the changes the Canadian Navy went through to deal with this and then the interview finally discuses his retirement. 0:39 – 2:11 – Early life, Joining Navy 2:17 – 9:52 – Training, Explanation what a Bowsan is 9:56 – 17:24 – Service aboard HMCS Annapolis, living quarters, duties, Anecdote about Getting watchkeeping certificate 17:25 – 19:00 – Becoming Navigation Officer, process to becoming one, duties in this role 19:06–27:00– Role of the DDEs/DDHs, Weapons/Defences, other design compents, introduction of helicopters ships, discussion difference between Annapolis Class and others classes, evolution of classes 28:15–29:04– Joined HMCS Preserver sent back to HMCS Annapolis then back to HMCS Preserver 29:04–30:51– Long Operations Course, Operations Officer duties 30:57–34:50– Joined HMCS Mackenzie as Operations Officer then became both Operations and navigation officer, anecdote about the Captain and interviewee about how fast should go through pass 34:52–35:45– Joined HMCS Terra Nova for a short time 35:47–36:06– Career Manger in Ottawa 36:07–36:57– Fleet school Halifax 37:12–42:13– XO HMCS Assaibonne discussion duties 42:15–47:46– Salvage Danish ship Partnership 47:47–48:38– Took over command HMCS Assaibonne for a short time when captain fell ill then became XO again 48:38–49:49– Discussion process of refits 50:15–1:00:04– Soviet Submarine threat, DDE/DDH capability to combat it and why Canada did not build new ships 1:00:10 –1:05:10– Unification 1:05:15–1:09:28– Contacts soviet ships 1:09:34–1:05:10– took command HMCS Ottawa discussed time there 1:11:36–1:05:10– What sailors did in free time, Discipline of Canadian sailors 1:14:58–1:16:12– Took command fleet school 1:16:15–1:16:28– Taught in the U.K 1:16:29–1:19:49– End of Cold War change in focus 1:20:05–1:25:55– Assigned National Defense HQ/ Policy Planning group 1:25:55–1:27:11– End of Career and retirement Suggested Clip(s) for Archive: 42:15–47:46– Salvage Danish ship Partnership

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Date created Relation
  • Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 48.4359, -123.35155
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recordings (MP3) also available.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • BK_864
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • March 15, 2017
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 128 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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file details Beardmore_K_0864_01 Public