Interview with Stan Brygadyr
Narrator: Brygadyr, Stanley W., 1938- Interviewer: Interviewed by Xander Hannaford-Craveiro Interview Date and Location: 6 March 2025, Victoria BC Synopsis This interview goes over Colonel Stan Brygadyr’s time in the Royal Canadian Navy and Airforce, starting with the early days of why he joined & initial training for the Naval Aviation wing of the RCN. It then moves to talking about his time aboard the Carrier HMCS Bonaventure, and the involvement in the Cuban Missile Crisis, the 1963-64 Cyprus Crisis, and a flyover at Puerto Rico when the new Canadian flag was inaugurated. He also talks about aircraft launching logistics and Anti-Submarine Warfare, which he primarily did, alongside talking about NATO exercises and training. The interview then shifts to talking about the unification of the Canadian military in 1968 and the scrapping of Bonaventure, all of which meant that he transferred over to the Airforce, which is the topic of most of the rest of the interview, before ending off with military honours received, opinions on the military’s current capabilities, and greatest achievements. 00:00 – 17:43 – Introduction & early days training in the RCN naval air wing. 17:44 – 20:50 – Time aboard HMCS Bonaventure. 20:51 – 34:10 – Bonaventure & the Cuban Missile Crisis. 34:11 – 43:05 – Bonaventure & the Cyprus Crisis of 1963-64. 43:06 – 49:11 – Detachments to American carriers & logistics of launching aircraft. 49:12 – 53:40 – Flyover at Puerto Rico during the ceremony of the raising of the new Canadian Maple Leaf flag in 1965. 53:41 – 58:48 – Anti-Submarine Warfare training and exercises. 58:49 – 1:01:03 – Exercises with fellow NATO allies. 1:01:04 – 1:07:03 – The 1968 unification of the three Canadian military branches into the Canadian Armed Forces & opinions on it. 1:07:04 – 1:15:23 – Opinions on the decommissioning & scrapping of HMCS Bonaventure and the decision to join the airforce (renamed Air Command). 1:15:24 – 1:23:33 – The transition into the airforce, the new planes flown, & NATO training exercises. 1:23:34 – 1:26:20 – Time at the Toronto CAF Colleges & what they do. 1:26:21 – 1:32:52 – Military honours Colonel Brygadyr received. 1:32:53 – 1:46:40 – Opinions on the current state of Canadian military capacity & funding. 1:46:41 – 1:52:48 – Greatest achievements & lessons to learn from his service. 1:52:49 – 1:53:30 – Closing statements.
- In Collection:
- Interview #SC141_BS_939
- 01:53:30
- Stories From the Royal Canadian Navy in NATO Operations: Through the Testimony of Colonel Stanley Brygadyr and Commander Karl Steve White
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- Accession Number: 2026-0008; Series: V; Item: 939
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/military-oral-history-collection
- 2025
- Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in Spring 2025. Recorded in digital format by interviewer. Keywords supplied by interviewer. Metadata by KD.
- 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