McNeil, Donald Lauchlin: my Air Force recollections (August 26, 1986)

Rank: Flight Lieutenant.

Interviewer: Aylward, Rick

ABSTRACT: Flight Lieutenant Donald Lauchlin McNeil (M.D.) Royal Canadian Air Force McNeil_D_0101_01.mp3 Born on May 7, 1914 in Estevan, Sask. He was a sea cadet for a number of years and a member of the C.O.T.C. as a medical student at the University of Manitoba. In 1942, a newly married general practitioner in Calgary, he chose the R.C.A.F. for two reasons: he would be more likely to maintain a home life and many friends and acquaintances belonged to that service. Commissioned as an acting flight lieutenant and underwent a modest regime of officer training, discipline, etc. (10:00) Sent for one month to an I.T.S. (initial training school) in Toronto, in an all-physician class. Taught the theory of flight, drill, some weapons training, medical officers' place in the R.C.A.F., physical problems associated with flying, flying clothes, temperature problems, decompression tank experiences, etc. Advised of the treatment of persons who were averse to flying. (25:00) Appointed to the service flying training school at Fort Macleod, Alta. Good station hospital of about forty beds. Describes accommodations, treatments required, including those for infectious diseases such as scarlet fever. No penicillin at that time. Began to see early cases of schizophrenia. Comments that personnel of the Women's Division provided excellent service in administrative positions. (45:00) McNeil_D_0101_02.mp3 As a learning experience medical officers were encouraged to fly whenever possible. In July 1944 he was posted overseas. Travelled in the Mauretania and worked in the ship's hospital during the voyage. Considerable "strep" throat and some serious seasickness were the major medical problems. Describes wartime England: blackout conditions, civilians, etc. (15:00) Experienced a number of R.C.A.F. postings including R.C.A.F. headquarters and No. 6 Bomber Group. After the end of the war he was the medical officer at R.C.A.F. headquarters in London. There he had a small staff, but no infirmary, and the patients were usually of fairly high rank. Remained until summer 1946. Notes a considerable change in outlook after the war ended. Physicians returning to Canada had much trouble obtaining a residency in medicine. He felt that this was required in order to improve professional skills. (30:00)

An interview/narrative of Donald Lauchlin McNeil's experiences during World War II. Flight Lieutenant McNeil, M.D. served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on August 26, 1986.

Interviewee: McNeil, Donald Lauchlin, b. 1914

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Aylward, Rick
• McNeil, Donald Lauchlin, b. 1914

Subject

• Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force
• World War (1939-1945)
• Military history
• World War (1914-1918)

Language

• eng

Date created

• August 26, 1986

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

• England
• Alberta--Calgary

Coordinates

• 51.05011, -114.08529
• 52.16045, -0.70312

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 75 min.) : 1 7/8 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

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

Archival item identifier

• MDL_101

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

• July 10, 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/ntr0-yd73

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