Adams, Kenneth F.: my Navy recollections (August 16, 23, and 30, 1978)
PublicABSTRACT: Rear-Admiral Kenneth F. Adams Royal Canadian Navy Adams_K_0160_01.mp3 (Interview 1, Reel 1, Side 1, interviewed by Chris D. Main) Born on Sept. 6, 1903 in Victoria, B.C. (d. 1986?). Educated in Victoria and at Royal Naval College of Canada (R.N.C.C.), Esquimalt, 1919-1922. Explains entrance exam, conditions of service, tuition fees, discipline. R.N.C.C. closed in 1922. Determined to go to sea; joined Imperial Oil and later became Captain of a tugboat on the British Columbia coast. Asked to join the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve in 1927 as a lieutenant and in Jan. 1928 was accepted into the Royal Canadian Navy. Sent to the Royal Naval College, Greenwich for a year. Served in the Mediterranean with the Royal Navy. Comments on the naval tailor, Gieves. Appointed navigating officer in the new H.M.C.S. Skeena (destroyer) where he remained for two years, during which time they offered protection to British subjects during a revolution in El Salvador. (45:00) Adams_K_0160_02.mp3 Returned on course to England. Attitude toward the government and defence policy. Promoted to lieutenant-commander. Training exercises began to improve as more money was allocated by the government. (20:00) When war broke out he was executive officer of H.M.C.S. Stadacona (shore establishment). Problems of expansion. (36:00) Adams_K_0160_03.mp3 (Reel 1, Side 2) Stadacona. Patrols from Halifax. Major problem providing crews for new ships. Appointed captain of H.M.C.S. Prince David (armed merchant cruiser), patrolled the southern part of the North Atlantic during 1941. Sighted German raider, but did not engage. Shortly thereafter they towed a disabled British ship one thousand miles into Bermuda. Searched for survivors of the sinking of the British armed merchant cruiser, H.M.S.Voltaire. Went to sea on convoy escort duties. Captain of H.M.C.S. Stadacona in 1942. Commanded H.M.C.S. Assiniboine (1943); describes attack on submarine. (50:00) Adams_K_0160_04.mp3 Director of warfare and training, Ottawa. In 1944 established H.M.C.S. Somers Isles in Bermuda. Appointed captain of H.M.C.S. Iroquois (Tribal class destroyer). Operated in the English Channel, then with the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. Early in 1945 participated in a raid on shipping off Norway. Describes Murmansk convoy experience. (45:00) Adams_K_0160_05.mp3 (Reel 2, Side 1) Comments on the "offensive spirit" in naval captains. Part of force delivering Prince Olaf of Norway to Oslo in May 1945. German officer assisted with pilotage. Part of the escort returning the German cruiser Prinz Eugen from Copenhagen to Wilhelmshaven. Iroquois returned to Canada. Captain of Stadacona in 1945. Discusses the Halifax riot on V-E Day; took steps to see that it was not repeated on V-J Day. Attitude of Halifax civilians toward the navy. Postwar navy, ranks, attitudes. Integration and unification; has concerns about discipline and morale. (45:00) Adams_K_0160_06.mp3 In 1946 posted to command H.M.C.S. Uganda (cruiser) which was largely used as a training ship. Ottawa: deputy chief of personnel. In 1949 appointed to command H.M.C.S. Magnificent (light fleet carrier) and as a commodore headed a cruise to NATO countries in Europe. (30:00) Transferred to H.M.C.S. Naden (shore establishment). In Victoria as commanding officer. Proposed that naval reserves should be more of an independent command and was eventually given command of that branch. Personal views of the naval establishment. (40:00)
Rank: Rear-Admiral.
Interviewer: Main, Chris D.
An interview/narrative of Kenneth F. Adams's experiences during World War II. Rear-Admiral Adams served with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on August 16, 23 and 30, 1978.
Interviewee: Adams, Kenneth F., b. 1903
- In Collection:
- 6 sound recordings (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 32.30444, -64.75167
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- Two original sound tape reels (ca. 255 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 4 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- AKF_160
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds
- March 23, 2007
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by JW, 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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Adams_K_0160_02.mp3 | Public |
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Adams_K_0160_03.mp3 | Public |
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Adams_K_0160.jpg | Public |
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