Beer, John Pope: my Army recollections (November 26, and 28, 1979)

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Interviewer: Gantzer, David

Rank: Colonel. Medals and Honours: Order of the British Empire (MBE)

ABSTRACT: Col. John Pope Beer, M.B.E. Royal Canadian Artillery Beer_J_0018_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born on Feb. 20, 1920 in Charlottetown, P.E.I. While attending high school he joined, in 1937, the 8th Medium Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery (militia) as a gunner. Mobilized in Sept. 1939. For some months they continued to wear their prewar uniforms, including bandoleers, putties, etc. He was commissioned in Feb. 1940 and proceeded overseas in Aug. of that year to Borden, Hampshire, as a reinforcement officer. After four weeks promoted to lieutenant and posted to 1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1 R.C.H.A.) (Guy Simonds) where he and five others failed Simonds' artillery examination. (10:00) He was immediately posted to the 11th Army Field Regiment where he remained until June 1942. After a heavy training regime -- gun position officer, command post officer, etc. -- he was promoted to captain and transferred to the 12th Field Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. (19:00) He explains the duties of troop commander (troop = sixty persons, four twenty-five-pounder guns), including those of artillery advisor to an infantry company commander. On D-Day Beer was a battery captain (second-in-command), directly responsible for administration and supply ("A" Echelon). Landed in Normandy with the second wave. Recounts forward observation officers' position with the infantry. (30:00) Describes the battle for Carpiquet Airport and later entered Caen as a forward observation officer with the Regina Rifles. Slow going toward Falaise: in his opinion the Germans magnificent in defence. His battery was accidentally bombed by our own Air Force and was out of action for twenty-four hours until new personnel, trucks, and guns were received. (45:00) Beer_J_0018_02.mp3 Describes carnage at Falaise. The 12th Field Regiment supported attacks on the channel ports. In more serious fighting at Leopold Canal he was again a forward observation officer with the Regina Rifles. Their bridgehead across the canal was, for a day or two, about fifty by two hundred yards in size. Describes artillery "stonks". (20:00) Little sleep, heavy casualties. The early winter of 1944/1945 was fairly quiet. Promoted to major, the officer commanding a French Canadian battery from Shawinigan Falls (81st Battery, 14th Field Regiment). In Feb. the Reichswald was attacked: heavy fighting in flooded conditions. Later, the Rhine crossing. (34:00) At the end of the war he assisted in disarming the German troops. Returned to Holland where difficulties were experienced in keeping the Canadians occupied for several months; classroom education was a partial answer. Returned to Canada in Dec. 1945. Joined the Interim Force as a battery commander at Petawawa. Reverted to captain in 1946. Transferred to Camp Shilo, Man. which, in the early days, was not a pleasant place to live. (45:00) In Dec. 1946 he was sent to England on the long gunnery staff course. Immediate postwar England was a place of serious shortages; uncomfortable for a family. While discussing the course, Beer offers an opinion on self-propelled artillery: great mobility somewhat limited by mechanical reliability. He returned to Camp Shilo as an instructor in gunnery. Promoted to major in 1950. That year the artillery began to change to American equipment. In the early 1950's Beer spent one year at the army staff college, Kingston, and from there was appointed second-in-command of the 81st Field Regiment at Petawawa where the regiment was in training for service in Korea. They were there for only three months before the war ended, but the unit performed very well. (10:00) Beer_J_0018_03.mp3 Appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire. Posted as Canadian representative at the Korean Armistice Commission meetings. (Side 2) In 1954 he was sent as a staff officer to the War Office in London for three years. It was a slightly awkward situation for a Canadian during the Suez war. As a lieutenant-colonel in 1957 he was on the instructional staff at the army staff college for the usual three-year appointment. (10:00) After that, he was posted to the International Control Commission in Saigon. Seven months later he was called home to command 2 R.C.H.A. which he did for a period of three years in Canada and one year in Germany. The regiment was a large unit: five batteries and an Air Observation Post (Air O.P.) flight. Initially the regiment was not in a good state of training or morale. (20:00) He explains the later excellent training in Germany. For a short time he attended the NATO Defence College in Paris. Promoted to colonel and Chief of Artillery, Mobile Command in Canada, a position he held for four years. Early days of unification were very trying. (30:00) Beer_J_0018_04.mp3 He is of the opinion that unification has had some positive aspects, but there have been many disasters, some of which are still operationally detrimental to the forces. As an example, one specific artillery concern is the lack of an Air O.P. under command. Appointed Canadian faculty advisor at the NATO Defence College in Rome for three years. Arranged and conducted European and overseas tours. Chief of staff, militia headquarters, Victoria, 1972-75. Retired in 1975. Commanded Vernon Army Cadet Camp in the summer for a subsequent four years. (44:00)

An interview/narrative of John Pope Beer's experiences during World War II and the Korean War. Colonel Beer, M.B.E. served with the Royal Canadian Artillery. Interview took place on November 26 and 28, 1979.

Interviewee: Beer, John Pope, 1920-2011

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation
  • Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.
Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 4 sound recordings (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 40, 127
  • 36.5, 127.75
  • 54.75844, -2.69531
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
  • 49, 0
Additional physical characteristics
  • One original sound tape reel (ca. 135 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track mono. ; 2 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • BJP_018
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • April 27, 2007
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by JW and 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 2007. 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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