Interviewee: Burch, Walter Chester, 1911-2005

An interview/narrative of Walter Chester Burch's experiences during World War II. Chief Petty Officer Burch served with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve. Interview took place on May 25 and June 1, 1978.

ABSTRACT: Chief Petty Officer (C.P.O.) Walter Chester Burch Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve Burch_W_0021_01.mp3 Born on Dec. 7, 1911 in Selkirk, Man. Although underage, Burch joined the militia in 1926 (10th Machine Gun Battalion) in Winnipeg. Transferred to the Fort Garry Horse in 1927/28, then to the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.C.N.V.R.) waiting list. In Jan. 1929, as a member of the R.C.N.V.R., he was posted for training to Esquimalt. Underwent basic training as an ordinary seaman at $1.65 per day(?). First training cruise to Central America in 1933. Trained as a torpedoman. Offers some thoughts on a prairie preference for the Navy life. Describes coaling operations in minesweepers. Reservists uniforms. Mentions prewar officers, including "Scotty" Brodeur. (45:00) Burch_W_0021_02.mp3 Signed on for active service at 10:00 a.m., Sept. 3, 1939 (was married at 2:00 p.m., left for the west coast at 10:00 p.m.!) Involved with organizational duties at Esquimalt. (11:00) Employed on the examination service. Joined H.M.C.S. Agassiz, the second corvette built on the west coast. Leading torpedoman. Some shortage of equipment. (30:00) Brought own small tools. On the east coast engaged in convoy duty as far as Iceland. (45:00) Burch_W_0021_03.mp3 (Side 2) Later escorted ships as far as Londonderry. Promoted to coxswain in Agassiz. Late in the war posted to H.M.C.S. Provider I, a depot ship for Fairmile motor launches. Appointed bosun's mate. Bosun and coxswain duties explained. Left the Navy in Nov. 1945. Joined the naval reserve in Victoria in 1946 as coxswain. Burch_W_0021_04.mp3 Served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Korean War period. Offers the opinion that the present Navy seems to have a smaller perception of tradition and that peacetime sailors have to put up with many fewer problems. The urge to "get on with it" is not so pressing. (35:00)

Rank: Chief Petty Officer.

Interviewer: Main, Chris D.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Main, Chris D.
• Burch, Walter Chester, 1911-2005

Subject

• Korean War (1950-1953)
• Canada. Canadian Army
• World War (1939-1945)
• Military history

Language

• eng

Keyword

• Corvettes (Warships)
• Korean War, 1950-1953--Naval operations, Canadian
• Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--Sea life
• Naval convoys
• Naval auxiliary vessels
• Provider I (Operational supply ship)
• Canada--Canadian Army--Armoured Regiment (Fort Garry Horse), 10th
• Canada--Canadian Forces Base (Esquimalt, B.C.)
• Agassiz (Ship)
• Canada--Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve --Non-commissioned Officers
• Flower Class (Corvettes)
• Burch, Walter Chester, 1911-2005--Interviews
• World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
• Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--H.M.C.S. Naden
• Canada--Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve

Date created

• May 25, 1978 to June 1, 1978

Relation

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

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 4 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic Coverage

• Korea (South)
• Canada
• Korea (North)

Coordinates

• 60.10867, -113.64258
• 36.5, 127.75
• 40, 127

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

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

Archival item identifier

• BWC_021

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 11, 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/ae4n-aa95

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