An interview/narrative of Ernest Edmund Teagle's experiences during World War II. Captain Teagle served with the Calgary Highlanders. Interview took place on June 20, 1985.

ABSTRACT: Capt. Ernest Edmund Teagle The Calgary Highlanders Teagle_E_0140_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born on Nov. 19, 1918 in Regina Sask., lived for years in Calgary. Educated at University School in Victoria. Received good basic training in the 170th Cadet Corps at school. At the University of British Columbia he rose to the rank of Regimental sergeant major in the C.O.T.C. Joined the Irish Fusiliers (militia) in Vancouver, and sent to the O.C.T.U. at Gordon Head. Discusses the early form of battle drill taken at Vernon, B.C. (10:00) Equipment, drill, instructors in 1942. He instructed at Vernon for eleven months. Seven-week course placed the student in excellent physical condition and effectively prepared him, at the company level, to exist in battle. The battle drill school was an independent organization, not under the command of Brig. "Shorty" Colquhoun of Vernon Military Camp. This caused a certain friction as the battle school took military "liberties" more associated with units in the field than a training camp. Recounts two incidents where raids were conducted by battle school members dressed in German uniforms. (30:00) In 1943 reverted to the rank of lieutenant in order to proceed overseas to The Calgary Highlanders. Impressions of wartime Britain. Introduced to support weapons at battle school in England. Platoon commander in "D" Company, then in Normandy, of the carrier platoon. Heavy security before embarking for the continent in early July 1944. (45:00) Teagle_E_0140_02.mp3 Describes beaches in Normandy, then a quick move inland. In action at Hill 67 on July 19, under heavy mortar fire. Offers opinion of excellent German weapons. (15:00) Describes battle conditions, artificial moonlight at Tilly-la-Campagne. Verrieres Ridge, German tunnelling. Impressions of German troops. Falaise. Wounded at the Seine, British hospital at Bayeux. Rejoined the unit in Sept. Serious reinforcement problem quickly developed. Officer reinforcements often former artillery officers who lacked any real infantry training. Canadian officer killed, because of lack of experience, by own forces. (35:00) Woensdrecht, house-to-house fighting. Walcheren Causeway toughest action, so much so that much of it remains blanked out. Comments on extremely close support by rocket-firing aircraft. (47:00) Teagle_E_0140_03.mp3 (Side 2) Opinion on delays in clearing the Scheldt. Wounded again. When recovered he commanded the transport section at Grave until the end of the war. First encounter with Canadians in the black market. Anecdote of a captured German paymaster and another of an American lieutenant throwing his weight around. To England in Dec. 1945 and almost immediately returned to Canada. (20:00) Discharged. Returned to university for his final year. Worked for Imperial Oil for ten years. Decided to become a teacher. Retired. Is of the opinion that Canadian forces today (1985) lack much of the best of equipment, including weapons. Military colleges produce young men who are assets to the country. (26:00)

Interviewer: Hill, Mark C.

Interviewee: Teagle, Ernest Edmund, b. 1918

Rank: Captain.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Teagle, Ernest Edmund, b. 1918
• Hill, Mark C.

Subject

• World War (1914-1918)
• World War (1939-1945)
• Personal narratives--Canadian
• Military history

Language

• eng

Date created

• June 20, 1985

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 3 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic Coverage

• England
• British Columbia--Victoria

Coordinates

• 48.4359, -123.35155
• 52.16045, -0.70312

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 120 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 2 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical Repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• sound recordings
• reminiscences
• oral histories (literary genre)
• interviews

Archival item identifier

• TEE_140

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• November 13, 2008

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 32 kHz. Digitized by HC, 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 2008. 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

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/8efe-7286

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail		Press to Select an action Download
	Teagle_E_0140_01.mp3		Press to Select an action Download
	Teagle_E_0140_02.mp3		Press to Select an action Download
	Teagle_E_0140_03.mp3		Press to Select an action Download