Interviewee: Gray, William Archibald

An interview/narrative of William Archibald Gray's experiences during World War II. Lieutenant Gray served with the Royal Montreal Regiment and the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. Interview took place on April 24, 1985.

Rank: Lieutenant.

ABSTRACT: Lt. William Archibald Gray Royal Montreal Regiment Royal Canadian Army Service Corps Gray_W_0056_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born in Verdun, Que. Joined the Royal Montreal Regiment (militia) in Jan. 1940. Shortage of arms and uniforms. Training consisted largely of drill. Worked for the freight department of Pennsylvania Railway. In Jan. 1942 joined the active army, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps so that his civilian expertise could be used as a stepping-stone to a commission. Sent to the O.C.T.U. at Brockville, a good camp and a good town. Advanced training at Camp Borden (20:00) at the R.C.A.S.C. training centre. After graduating as a lieutenant he became an instructor. Motorcycle training, directing convoys, which proved surprisingly difficult. Many exercises. Anecdotes. (3:00) In May 1943 he became a movement control officer at Halifax. Work consisted of handling troop trains, loading ships with troops, baggage, food, etc. Hospital ships arrived, ambulance trains provided. P.O.W.s transported to camps. On one such train he was in command of the train, but not the guards, and moved the P.O.W.s as far west as Medicine Hat. Movement control duties in New York at one point. (45:00) He was temporarily O.C. Troops on the Princess Helene on the daily trip between Saint John, N.B. and Digby, N.S. Army O.C. aboard the Lady Rodney for one very rough trip to Newfoundland. (47:00) Gray_W_0056_02.mp3 (Side 2) Describes conditions aboard ship: the army anti-submarine watch were all very seasick. In an effort to get overseas he transferred to the infantry. Underwent a battle course at Vernon, B.C. Sent to Debert, N.S. as an infantry reinforcement until they discovered he was a movement control officer. Back he went to his former occupation! Sent to England after the war ended to assist in the repatriation process. Trip to France. One of a group of officers in England invited to a party at a local castle where he danced with one of the guests, the then Princess Elizabeth. Returned to Canada in Apr. 1946. Discharged. Returned to his civilian job. General comments. (23:00)

Interviewer: Gray, Grant

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Gray, Grant
• Gray, William Archibald

Subject

• Military history
• World War (1939-1945)
• Personal narratives--Canadian
• Canada. Canadian Army

Language

• eng

Keyword

• Canada--Canadian Army--Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
• Repatriation--Canada
• Gray, William Archibald--Interviews
• Canada--Canadian Army--Training Centre, A30--Officer's Training Centre (Brockville, Ont.)
• Camp Borden (Ont.)
• World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
• Canada--Canadian Army--Commissariat
• Canada--Canadian Army--Procurement
• Transports--Canada
• Canada--Canadian Army--Military life
• Hospital ships
• Canada--Canadian Army--Training Centre, A19--Canadian Army Service Corps Training Centre (Borden, Ont.)
• Canada--Canadian Army--Royal Montreal Regiment
• Trains--Transport service
• Passenger ships--Canada
• Prisoners of war--Transportation
• Canada--Canadian Army--Transportation
• Canada--Canadian Forces Base (Borden, Ont.)
• Lady Rodney (Steamboat)
• Princess Helene (Ferry)
• Canada--Canadian Army--Supplies and stores

Date created

• April 24, 1985

Relation

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

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic Coverage

• Canada
• England

Coordinates

• 52.16045, -0.70312
• 60.10867, -113.64258

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 70 min.) : 3 3/4 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : 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

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

Archival item identifier

• GWA_056

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

• May 30, 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 AN, 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

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/pznr-wq78

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