Dunlap, Clarence R.: my Air Force recollections (August 30, 1979 - April 22, 1980)
Interviewee: Dunlap, Clarence R., b. 1908
ABSTRACT: Air Marshal Clarence R. Dunlap, C.B.E. Royal Canadian Air Force (Reel 3, Side 2, interviewed by David Ganzer) Coastal population of Japanese, in particular Queen Charlotte City in 1932. Social contacts. Photo survey, equipment, methods, etc. Became chief photo instructor at Ottawa in 1934. Comments on search and rescue, parachutes, survival equipment, emergency procedures. (90:00) (Reel 4, Side 1) Search for downed aircraft on the Pacific Coast. Camp Borden, 1934: history, plan, wartime buildings, married quarters, some flyers. Armament officer's course. Aircraft as trainers. (90:00) (Reel 4, Side 2) Some N.C.O. characters. Bomber training. Reserve Air Force. Social life and mess activities very important. Describes the original officers' mess at Camp Borden. Formal mess dinners, service customs, subjects for discussion, games, singing. (90:00) (Reel 5, Side 1) Social activities. Controlled card games. Social graces considered part of training. Use of calling cards - to all married officers, neighbouring messes. Trades training at Camp Borden. Automobile trip to Vancouver. Selected to attend an armament course in England. Describes. (95:00) (Reel 5, Side 2) Digresses to discuss Dunlap "family tree", had an ancestor who graduated from Harvard in the 1660's. Eastchurch Air Station (England) in 1935. Comments on aircraft, including the Westland Wapiti , Hawker bi-planes. The RCAF considers buying second-hand RAF aircraft. Voiced an unpopular opinion on the Wapiti, not knowing that the RCAF had just purchased several. Describes training, armament development, ballistics, bombing patterns. Mess life at Eastchurch, commanders, buildings, and other features. (90:00) (Reel 6, Side 1) Continues with Eastchurch, the officer's quarters, batmen, "dining-in" nights in the mess, uniforms, games, food quality. Considerable hospitality by the senior officers. Married fiance from Vancouver and honeymooned in Italy. Describes the quarters of the Air Officer Commanding, an ex-royal palace. (90:00) (Reel 6, Side 2) Social events. Considers courses in Great Britain to be valuable educational and social events. Ceremonials during the Silver Jubilee of King George V, Spithead Review, Aldershot Tattoo, Funeral of George V. Visits the Woolwich Arsenal, armoured plate manufacturing in Sheffield using antiquated machinery. Some new armament manufacturing equipment purchased in Germany. Air defence of Great Britain, 1935/36. Back to Canada, appointed to the Long Armament Course (2 years) in 1937/38. (90:00) (Reel 7, Side 1) Digresses to read a letter from a relative in Rhodesia at the time of independence. Posted again to Eastchurch for the Long Armament Course. Acquired further knowledge of ballistics, armament engineering, design, internal/external forces affecting bombs, shells, and bullets. Much pure mathematics. Armament school moves to Lincolnshire. Attended first New Years levee by George VI, in full dress uniform. The course indicated to him just how unprepared for war Britain really was. Describes the married quarters at Eastchurch - central heating only in rooms without fireplaces! (90:00) (Note - No Side 2)
An interview/narrative of Clarence R. Dunlap's experiences during World War II. Air Marshal Dunlap, C.B.E., served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on August 30, December 6, 1979, January 10, 17, 24, February 7, 14, March 24 and April 22, 1980.
Interviewer: Gantzer, David
Rank: Air Marshal. Medals and Honours: Order of the British Empire (CBE)
- In Collection:
- 21 sound recordings (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 51.5, 10.5
- Six original sound tape reels (ca. 745 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. (nos. 3-8) ; 12 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. (nos. 6-17) in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- DCR_249
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds
- July 26, 2011
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2011. 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
