Seaborn, Robert Lowder: my Army recollections (February 23, 1983)

ABSTRACT: Hon. Capt. (Most Rev. Bishop) Robert Lowder Seaborn Canadian Chaplain Service The Canadian Scottish Regiment Seaborn_R_0129_01.mp3 Born the son of an Anglican priest on July 9, 1911 in Toronto. Took a degree in classics at the University of Toronto, followed by Divinity School in 1932. Worked in various parishes, including the Anglican Cathedral in Toronto. After a year as incumbent at Cobourg, Ont. he joined the Army in 1942 when a new battalion of the Queen's Own Rifles was raised. Posted to Debert, N.S. for training and in spring 1943 posted overseas. Shortly thereafter appointed padre to The Canadian Scottish Regiment. Explains some of his duties: the moral and spiritual well-being of the regiment. Much time spent in getting to know the men during their training. Participated in route marches. Gave straightforward services of about thirty minutes. Learned first aid. Padre was expected to know how to participate in assault landings. Landed on D-Day armed with a haversack full of first-aid supplies. Returns to an account of his duties which included much of what would now be called social work. When he first joined The Canadian Scottish Regiment he felt that he was greeted with caution as an easterner in a British Columbia unit, but after a couple of months he found himself fully accepted. Held a service in each landing craft carrying the unit to France and a short prayer in the assault craft taking them to the beach. Landed with B Company accompanied by two medical orderlies. Helped with the wounded, then moved inland to rejoin the battalion. During battle he always stationed himself at the regimental aid post where he was able to be of assistance and to encourage the wounded. Sometimes he brought wounded to the R.A.P. in his jeep. First burials were undertaken with the assistance of a French horse and cart and the sergeant from the officer's mess. Spent a good part of the first two weeks burying the dead; a tough job. Had to write letters to next of kin which was very difficult. If he could not contact a Roman Catholic padre he would say the appropriate prayer for the dead of that faith. Finding bodies sometimes difficult; always attempted to pinpoint the graves so that they would not become lost. Seaborn_R_0129_02.mp3 By autumn the unit was very tired and he wrote a report on morale that was not gladly received at Corps Headquarters; as a result he was nearly removed from the regiment. Always held Sunday services. Explains his ideas on faith and how to put it across to the troops. Anecdote about a certain company sergeant-major encouraging his men to attend services. The day the war ended he asked a German Lutheran pastor for the use of his church for a thanksgiving service. Refers to a book by Lord Moran (Churchill's physician) on courage. Anecdotes about Falaise, his batman, and the crossing of the Seine during which he, his driver, and jeep were the last of the unit to cross and the only ones to be dunked. (45:00)

Interviewee: Seaborn, Robert Lowder, b. 1911

Interviewer: Falconer, Cameron

An interview/narrative of Robert Lowder Seaborn's experiences during World War II. Honorary Captain (Most Revered Bishop) Seaborn served with the Canadian Chaplain Service and the Canadian Scottish Regiment. Interview took place on February 23, 1983.

Rank: Honorary Captain (Most Revered Bishop).

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Seaborn, Robert Lowder, b. 1911
• Falconer, Cameron

Subject

• Operation Overlord
• World War (1939-1945)
• Military history
• World War (1914-1918)

Language

• eng

Date created

• February 23, 1983

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

• France

Coordinates

• 46, 2

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 45 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

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

Archival item identifier

• SRL_129

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 23, 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/10.58066/5pma-yt17

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