Boulton, Angus George: my Navy recollections (July 17, and 31, 1980)
PublicAn interview/narrative of Angus George Boulton's experiences during World War II. Commodore Boulton, D.S.C. served with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on July 17 and 31, 1980.
Rank: Commodore. Medals and Honours: Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
ABSTRACT: Commodore Angus George Boulton, D.S.C. Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Canadian Navy Boulton_A_0008_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born on Aug. 7, 1911 at Russell, Man. After graduating from high school he became a member of the Winnipeg Half-Company, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.C.N.V.R.). Went to sea during summer training periods, initially as an unpaid probationary temporary acting sub-lieutenant. In 1936 his employer transferred him to Toronto where he joined the Toronto Company, R.C.N.V.R. (10:00) When war came he was a lieutenant and second-in-command of the present Naval Division. In Oct. 1939 he joined H.M.C.S. Ottawa. Engaged in convoy duties. Became first lieutenant, rescued survivors, etc. (25:00) Relates experience in command of H.M.C.S. Rimouski (corvette) in 1941. The following year he took command of H.M.C.S. Annapolis (Town class destroyer, ex-United States Navy). A wet ship, hard to maneuver in harbour, with frequent mechanical breakdowns. (45:00) Boulton_A_0008_02.mp3 Weather conditions posed more danger than the U-boats! Offers a list of his watch-keepers' instructions in Annapolis (1943). Acting lieutenant-commander in 1941, confirmed in 1943. After eighteen months in Annapolis he was posted to command of H.M.C.S. St. Laurent (River class destroyer). Believes himself to be the first R.C.N.V.R. officer to command a larger destroyer. Londonderry, Bay of Biscay where they were bombed, invasion duties. In command of a Canadian destroyer group. Picked up U-boat survivors. On D-Day they were part of the armada, on submarine patrol. (25:00) Later in 1944 St. Laurent was part of a hunter group in the North Atlantic. Promoted to the rank of Commander in Jan. 1945 and, for three or four months, was in command of H.M.C.S. Somers Isles in Bermuda where "working-up" exercises were carried out. Posted to Ottawa for a few months. Left the Navy after the war; rejoined in 1946, retaining the rank of commander. Appointed Commander (i.e. Executive Officer) in H.M.C.S. Magnificent (light fleet carrier). (35:00) Boulton_A_0008_03.mp3 (Side 2) Discusses staff college at Greenwich, England in 1948/1949, then Canadian Joint Staff in Washington, D.C. Returning to the Magnificent, he recounts crew discontent, although nothing major. Admits the tendency of the Royal Canadian Navy at that time toward poor man management. Mainguy Report. Details the grounding of the Magnificent. Captain dismissed. (19:00) Posted to Ottawa in 1951, then made Director of Naval Reserves (acting captain). Moved naval reserve headquarters to Hamilton, Ont. where much effort was made to improve staff work for naval divisions. As a student at the National Defence College, Kingston, where he went later, he considered it a very valuable institution, both personally and for the country. Appointed acting commodore in command of H.M.C.S. Niagara in Washington, D.C. where he was concerned with the United States Navy. Commanded cruise to Europe of the 3rd Canadian Escort Squadron. First Canadian ships (new St. Laurent class) to visit Kiel, Germany. Thousands of visitors. (38:00) Boulton_A_0008_04.mp3 Ottawa, assistant to the Chief of the Naval Staff for Plans. Appointed to the Joint Staff, London, England. Involved in early discussions on building or acquiring nuclear submarines. Last commodore at H.M.C.S. Naden. Retired on Feb. 19, 1966. (45:00) Discusses reorganization and integration of the navy. Too much, too fast, morale bad. Reached serious proportions before senior officers became aware of it. Air Force seemed best able to cope. Comments on a built-in bias in the navy against staff work for junior officers. This was partly caused by shortages of good officers in view of the other naval commitments. Eventually a few officers were sent to the air force staff college.
Interviewee: Boulton, Angus George, 1911-1992
Interviewer: Thackray, William S.
- In Collection:
- National Defence College (Canada)
- Mainguy Report
- Nuclear submarines
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
- Allied Forces--Naval convoys--Hunter-killer Groups
- Rimouski (Corvette)
- World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations, Canadian
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Biscay, Bay of (France and Spain)
- Royal Naval College (Great Britain)
- Allied forces--Naval convoys--Atlantic Ocean
- Magnificent (Aircraft carrier)
- Allied Forces--Western Local Escort Force
- Canada--Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve--Winnipeg Division
- Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--Officers
- Ottawa I (Destroyer)
- Corvettes (Warships)
- Naval convoys
- Canada--Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve--Toronto Division
- Canada--Royal Canadian Navy
- Majestic Class (Aircraft carriers)
- Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--Destroyer Squadron, 3rd
- Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-1945
- Annapolis I (Destroyer)
- Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--H.M.C.S. Naden
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Atlantic Ocean
- Allied Forces--Mid Ocean Escort Force
- Antisubmarine warfare
- Military attache?s
- Town Class (Destroyer)
- World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations--Biscay, Bay of (France and Spain)
- River Class (Destroyers : 1931-1946)
- Submarine warfare
- Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--H.M.C.S. Somers Isles (Bermuda)
- Aircraft carriers
- Destroyer escorts--Canada
- D-Day, 1944 (Normandy invasion)
- United States--Navy
- St. Laurent Class (Destroyers)
- Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--H.M.C.S. Stadacona.
- Destroyers (Warships)
- Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--Management
- World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations--English Channel
- St. Laurent (Destroyer)
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Organization
- Boulton, Angus George, 1911-1992--Interviews
- St. Laurent II (Destroyer)
- World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations, British
- 4 sound recordings (MP3)
- 60.10867, -113.64258
- 54.75844, -2.69531
- 39.76, -98.5
- 49, 0
- One original sound tape reel (ca. 130 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 2 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- BAG_008
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds
- May 9, 2007
- 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
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