Joly, John David: my Canadian Forces recollections (February 16, 2012)

Downloadable Content


Download audio

An interview/narrative of Colonel John Joly's experiences whilst serving with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Interview took place on February 16, 2012.

Interviewee: Joly, John David, b. 1948

ABSTRACT: Colonel Joly began his military career at the age of 17. He attended the Royal Canadian Infantry School for Basic Infantry Officer training in Camp Borden, Ontario. Upon finishing officer training he moved to Victoria and served with the First Battalion’s Queen’s Own Rifles. In 1969, Col. Joly was posted to Germany with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry where he served as the Rifle Platoon Commander and Recognisance Platoon Commander. After he returned, he took the “French Course” and was posted to One Airborne Commando within the Canadian Airborne Regiment. Col. Joly describes the events that led to the Canadian Airborne being posted to Cyprus; Canada volunteered the Airborne Regiment to join the UN peacekeepers in the Middle East but, after training, the UN decided that the Canadian Airborne was not needed. To compensate the regiment, the Chief of Defense Staff sent the Canadian Airborne to Cyprus. On 8 March 1974, Col. Joly deployed to Cyprus with the advanced party. His was the Senior Duty Officer in the Operations Center, working under Colonel Don Manuel, coordinating day to day activities, receiving reports, updating the war diaries and shift scheduling. Col. Joly describes the job of the Intelligence Officer (“Ops B”) Iain Nicol, who he worked closely with upon an unexpected promotion to the position of Operations Officer. On the 15 August 1974, after the remainder of the Canadian Airborne Regiment had arrived, Col. Joly was displaced by the actual Operations Officer and sent to Ottawa to brief the Chief of Defense Staff and became his aid. He continues by describing his career after Cyprus. Col. Joly outlines the context of the Cyprus conflict and the later invasion: ethnic divisions, strategic location, the 1964 Civil War, 1974 Greek coup. He remembers his job as the Operations Officer and acting as the Liaison Officer with the Turkish Army. He describes the situation prior to the Greek coup and noticing that something was brewing. Col. Joly describes the first hour of the Greek coup and the situation leading up to the Turkish invasion. On the subject of equipment, Col. Joly remembers taking stock of the supplies and weaponry that the Canadian Airborne had on hand and making an “Operational Requirement” request for reinforcements 2-3 days after the Greek coup. He recounts the search for missing soldiers after the invasion and organizing the removal of Turkish gold from the Central Bank on the Green Line. Col. Joly describes moving Canadian citizens and British ex-patriots off of the Island and his own search for the two missing soldiers within Nicosia and visiting the Central Nicosia Hospital. He provides a vivid account of the evacuation of hostages from the Ledra Palace Hotel. Col. Joly commends the Canadian Airborne for not participating in looting and describes organizing the removal of merchandise from Nicosia Airport. He goes on to describe the Kronberg incident in which Norm Blaquiere and Para Plouffe were injured, he remembers them being brought to the Operations center to be treated. Col. Joly reflects on the subject of recognition for the Canadians serving in Cyprus, specifically the lack of interest Canadians took in the conflict. He concludes the interview by commending those who served with him and specifically acknowledges his colleagues. 00:00:00 – 00:00:36 – Introduction. 00:00:36 – 00:04:29 – Overview of Military Career and time in the Canadian Airborne Regiment before Cyprus. 00:04:30 – 00:06:20 – Discuses the reasons why the Canadian Airborne Regiment was posted to Cyprus in 1974. 00:06:20 – 00:12:18 – Brief synopsis of his duties in Cyprus as the Senior Duties Officer in the Operations Center and later the Operations Officer before the invasion and after. 00:12:18 – 00:23:33 – Military career after Cyprus. 00:23:33 – 00:29:13 – Civilian career to present day. 00:29:13 – 00:37:09 – Context for the conflict; Geographical and strategic location, colonial and political history, ethnic distribution, 1964 civil war, how Canadians became involvement in Cyprus as a result of the civil war. 00:37:09 – 00:40:43 – Circumstances within Cyprus upon Canadian involvement. 00:40:44 – 00:43:01 – Working as a Liaison Officer with the Turkish Operations Officer. 00:43:01– 01:21:30 – Experience during the Greek coup and the situation leading up to the Turkish Invasion. 01:21:30 – 01:34:29 – The Turkish Invasion. 01:34:29 – 01:38:00 – Describes a colleague’s search for two missing soldiers and the recovery of British ex- patriots from Kyrenia. 01:38:00 – 01:39:16 – Moving Canadian citizens off Cyprus. 01:39:16 – 01:42:59 – The bombing of Nicosia and the airport. Describes his own search for the missing soldiers within Nicosia. 01:42:59 – 01:57:59 – Describes the situation along the Green Line and within Nicosia. Recalls an attempt to rescue Turkish soldiers and evacuating hostages from the Greek controlled Ledra Palace Hotel. 01:57:59 – 02:00:51 – Discusses looting by Canadian soldiers. Describes the first day of the war and the order to remove merchandise from Nicosia airport to prevent looting. 02:00:51 – 02:03:02 – Returns to the subject of Nicosia Airfield and the cleaning up of bodies. 02:03:02 – 02:07:48 – The bombing of RAF Nicosia and the British and UN reaction. Describes the task of defending the Nicosia airfield from Turkish attack. 02:03:02 – 02:22:21 – Describes the Camp Kronberg incident. 02:22:21 – 02:24:18 – Speaks on the subject of recognition. 02:24:18 – 02:33:06 – Trip to Ottawa in August 1974. Describes seeing the evacuation of the Ledra Palace Hotel on television. Reflects on the lack of recognition Canadian soldiers received. 02:33:06 – 02:43:53 – Acknowledges those who served with him. 02:43:53 – 02:46:10 – Concluding conversation and signing of the Interview Release Form.

Rank: Colonel. Medals and Honours: Canadian Forces Decoration; Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal; Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal; United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus Medal; Special Service Medal; United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina Medal

Interviewer: Eriksson, Camas

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
  • 35, 33
  • 51.5, 10.5
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • JJ_711
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • February 16, 2012
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 16 kbps and 16 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 2012. 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

This page supports the Zotero and Mendeley browser extensions simply click on the extension widget in your browser to save the objects citation.

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Actions
file details Joly_J_0711_01.mp3
file details Joly_J_0711.JPG