Drover, Leander: my Army recollections (November 22, 2007)
PublicAn interview/narrative of Master Warrant Officer Leander Drover's experiences whilst serving in the Canadian Airborne Regiment. Interview took place on November 22, 2007.
Rank: Master Warrant Officer. Medals and Honours: Canadian Forces Decoration; Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal; United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus Medal; NATO Medal; Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
ABSTRACT: Leander Drover Experiences of a Master Warrant Officer in the Canadian Airborne Regiment Born in Newfoundland. Enlisted in the Military to do something other than logging. Joined with the Queen’s Own Rifles. Too basic para-training with the Queen’s Own. Senior NCO, Sgt. First deployment was in Germany with Special Weapons Squad (mortars). At Work-point barracks till 1966 in Victoria. In depot in Calgary till 1968. Joined Canadian Airborne in 1968. (5:30) Explains reasons for joining the airborne. (8:50) Explains different kinds of training within the CAF, and capabilities. (9:40) Meares Island Training story: British SAS vs CAF. (11:00) Gives opinions on Somalia. (11:50) Explains dislike for Personal Evaluation Reports within the airborne. (13:30) Describes first tour in to Cyprus in 1965 with UN peacekeeping mission. Rank of Full Corporal. Detachment commander for indirect fire. (15:00) Participated in the security detail for the 1976 Montreal Olympics as part of a sniper team. (17:00) 1976 Posted to support staff of Seaforth Highlanders in Vancouver. Coordinating training of the militia unit. (18:50) 1977 posted to Edmonton, Loyal Edmonton Regiment. Helped deal with the ‘boat people’ (Vietnamese refugees) in Edmonton. (20:00) 1974 in the Airborne again and back to Cyprus. 2 Commando platoon commander. (26:20) 1971 participated in a jump for the Queen in Rivers Manitoba. Describes the drill and talks about his injury. (30:00) Talks about the caliber of people in the airborne, and the great leaders the airborne had in the beginning of the regiment. (34:00) Talks about bayonet wound that occurred during unarmed combat. (35:20) Talks about the differences between the Arctic and Jungle training. (36:30) Talks about competing in biathlon in Scandinavia. (37:15) Talks about post war. Became a journeyman carpenter and did wilderness guide adventures in the Yukon. (40:00) Problems with the way people remember what the soldiers did in past wars and what they fought for. (43:00) Talks about the breakdown in the Airborne and the lack of discipline that was needed. (48:54) END
Interviewee: Drover, Leander, b. 1938
Interviewer: Hansen, Curtis
- In Collection:
- Parachuting
- Soldiers--Wounds and injuries
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Canadian Airborne Regiment--Commando, 2
- Soldiers--Canada--Public opinion
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Personal narratives
- Snipers
- Military training camps--Meares Island (B.C.)
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Canadian Airborne Regiment
- Cyprus--History--Cyprus Crisis, 1963
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Canadian Airborne Regiment--Organization
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Canadian Airborne Regiment--History
- Drover, Leander (Lee), 1938- --Interviews
- Somalia Affair, 1992-1997
- Canada--Canadian Forces Base (Calgary, Alta.)
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Military life
- Canada--Canadian Forces Base (Germany)
- Armed forces --Canada--Public opinion
- Canada--Canadian Army--Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
- Cyprus--History--Cyprus Crisis, 1974-
- Sharpshooting (Military science)
- Cyprus--History--Turkish Invasion, 1974
- United Nations--Peacekeeping forces
- Armed forces--Canada--Integration
- Multinational armed forces
- Biathlon
- Veteran reintegration
- Special forces (Military science)--Canada
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Barracks and quarters
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Organization
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Non-commissioned officers
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Personnel management
- Winter warfare
- Canada--Canadian Army--Barracks and quarters
- Olympic Games (21st : 1976 : Montre?al, Que?bec)
- Cyprus--History--Coup d'e?tat, 1974
- Canada--Canadian Forces Base (Esquimalt, B.C.)--Work Point Barracks
- Hosting of sporting events--Security measures
- Canada--Canadian Army--Loyal Edmonton Regiment
- Integrated operations (Military science)
- Soldiers--Evaluation
- Great Britain--Army--Special Air Service
- Military morale
- United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
- Peacekeeping forces, Canadian
- Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Parachute troops
- Night fighting (Military science)
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 54.75844, -2.69531
- 35, 33
- 60.10867, -113.64258
- Original sound recording (DVF) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- DL_741
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- November 22, 2007
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 22 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in 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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