An interview/narrative of Eric Henry William Elkington's experiences during World War I and II. Lieutenant-Colonel Elkington, M.D. served with the Canadian Army Medical Corps, the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. Interview took place on June 16, 23 and July 2, 1980.

Interviewer: Thackray, William S.

Interviewee: Elkington, Eric Henry William, b. 1893

Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel.

ABSTRACT: Lt.-Col. Eric Henry William Elkington, M.D. Canadian Army Medical Corps Royal Army Medical Corps Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps Elkington_E_0169_01.mp3 (Reel 1, Side 1, interviewed by William S. Thackray) Born on June 1, 1893 in Duncan, B.C. In 1914 he finished the second year of medical studies at McGill University and joined the 6th Canadian Field Ambulance in Montreal. After a few months he proceeded overseas as part of the 2nd Canadian Division. First in the line in the Ypres salient where he worked as a stretcher-bearer at an advanced dressing station. Trench warfare conditions. In late 1916 the government sent all second and third year medical students back to Canada to finish their medical studies. (20:00) Graduated in 1918, sent to Vancouver for transport to Siberia with a hospital unit. Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force. Description of Vladivostok, refugees, Allied forces, Bolsheviks. General medical problems were the norm; almost no war casualties. The Canadians were withdrawn in mid-1919. Returned to Montreal for postgraduate work. (45:00) Elkington_E_0169_02.mp3 Joined the British army and served for eighteen years. Medical research in England. Posted to Iraq which was climatically very hard on Europeans. Many experiences with the native population. Transferred to Peshawar, India. Points out that medical officers had to be very careful not to impose on the religious convictions of native troops. Expedition against the Kurds. Returned to England for postgraduate work in opthalmology, promoted to major. (48:00) Elkington_E_0169_03.mp3 (Reel 1, Side 2) Returns to tales of Kurdistan and India. Posted to India, from London, to act as consulting ophthalmologist for south India. Travelled through much rough country. (30:00) Did considerable volunteer eye medicine with the civilian population, many being blinded by cataracts. (45:00) Indian army hospitals very good. Many dangers for the European: climate, disease, snakes, scorpions, etc. Household and social anecdotes. Left India in 1934 for England and retired from the army in 1936 to return to Victoria to practice. Purchased house at the top of Island Road. (45:00) Elkington_E_0169_04.mp3 When war was declared in 1939 Elkington joined the Army. Lieutenant-colonel. Reverted to major in order to go overseas with the 16th Canadian General Hospital. (50:00) Elkington_E_0169_05.mp3 (Reel 2, Side 1) Examines his situation at the beginning of the war. In 1942, in England, the Canadians took over a civilian hospital. Later he became consulting ophthalmologist to the Canadian army as a lieutenant-colonel and was attached to No. 8 Canadian General Hospital. Inspected Canadian hospitals on the continent in 1944/1945. New surgical procedures, penicillin, treatments. Returned to Canada and, after a little difficulty leaving the army, resumed his medical practice in Victoria. Returns to miscellaneous comments, personal experiences, Arab thieves who were extraordinarily dexterous.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Elkington, Eric Henry William, b. 1893
• Thackray, William S.

Subject

• Military history
• World War (1939-1945)
• World War (1914-1918)
• Great Britain. Army

Language

• eng

Date created

• June 16, 1980 to July 2, 1980

Relation

• Special Collections hold an additional interview with Lt.-Col. Elkington.
• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 5 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic Coverage

• Québec--Montréal
• British Columbia--Victoria

Coordinates

• 45.50884, -73.58781
• 48.4359, -123.35155

Additional physical characteristics

• Two original sound tape reels (ca. 280 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 3 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

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

Archival item identifier

• EEHW_169

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 6, 2006

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by SC and JF, 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 2006. 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/10.58066/1fb5-jp55

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