Law, C. Anthony: my Navy recollections (October 19, 1985, and July 21, 1987)
An interview/narrative of C. Anthony Law's experiences during World War II. Commander Law served with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on October 19, 1985 and July 21, 1987.
Interviewee: Law, C. Anthony
Rank: Commander. Medals and Honours: Distinguished Service Cross
Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal
ABSTRACT: Commander C. Anthony Law, D.S.C. Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Canadian Navy (Cassette 1, Side 1) Cmdr. Law started in the Army in 1937 as a Second Lieutenant of No. 1 Ordnance Ammunition Company, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, at Quebec. As a Lieutenant on the outbreak of war in 1939, he was promoted Captain and commanding officer. Prior to that, Law had been to Upper Canada College and then to the University of Ottawa High School. Went to Quebec as a young painter and was approached by the C.O. of the local naval division with an offer to join the RCNVR and to train on small boats with the Royal Navy. Thus he became Acting Probationary Sub-Lieutenant, RCNVR. Sent to the UK in 1940 and to HMS King Alfred for training. Posted to HMS Wolfe (formerly the C.P.R. Montcalm) for a short while -- on patrol to Iceland and the ice-pack to the north. Appointed First Lieutenant in a Motor Anti-Submarine Boat (M.A.S.B.) based in Weymouth. Appointed to MTB 48 in command, building in Cowes. Then to HMS Hornet, the training base at Gosport (Portsmouth). Describes the armament of his boat, as well as the early Scott-Hall engines. Sent to Horwich where he joined a flotilla, later moved to Dover (1941) where his first night action occurred. The boat suffered some damage and one man was wounded. In February 1942 they attempted to stop the Scharnhorst and other heavy German ships during their effort to move from France to Germany. His boat fired torpedoes but at too great a range, eventually returning to Dover. A real fiasco. Law was in forty-six actions against German coastal shipping. Sixty days leave in Canada -- married his wife -- returned to command of a 110 foot D-Boat building near Glasgow, 4 Packard engines and a crew of thirty. Patrols from Yarmouth to the Dutch coast. Discusses the fire hazard with so much high octane fuel. Compares them to the German E-Boats. Heavy engagements off the Dutch coast with sometimes heavy casualties. Appointed to headquarters in London to start organizing the two Canadian flotillas (with Kirkpatrick). Found himself in 71 foot 6 inch British Power Boats with a pom-pom forward (eventually a six pounder), twin Oerlikons and 18" torpedoes, and in command of the 29th Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla. The flotilla was delayed by faulty torpedo tubes. (Cassette 1, Side 2) In the meantime, Law was appointed an official Naval War Artist and went to Scapa Flow and painted the RN Tribal class destroyer but had some problems with some RN officers who thought he might be a spy. Exhibited in the Natural Art Gallery, London and later in the War Museum in Ottawa. Commissioned MTB 459 and went to Holyhead for work-up (1944). Comments on (Sir) Peter Scott a prominent painter of birds. All eight boats of the 29th Flotilla sailed for Ramsgate with Law in Command. Their first action was to set a group of Royal Engineers on a beach at Cap Griz Nez in order to obtain the latest examples of German mines -- which they successfully did, returning the engineers to the UK. Battles against flak trawlers. Discusses some of the other countries represented in the flotillas -- Dutch, Polish, Australian, Free French, etc. At the time of the invasion (D-Day) he, in command of four boats, and Bones Burk in command of the other four were expected to be capable of alternatively being at sea for two weeks. Due to rough weather this was very uncomfortable. They were vectored on to the enemy by HMS Scylla (cruiser). Off Normandy they would engage the German "R" boats, usually at night. Hurricane force wind did great damage to the beach docks but they finally managed to get alongside and eventually all four boats found shelter. Later, off the Canadian beach, his boat was severely damaged by shell fire. Two dead in the engine room. Towed to their control ship and then towed to a (floating) crane that pulled the boat out of the water and put it on the beach. From there she was returned to the UK rebuilt and returned to Law much later. The flotilla lost two other boats due to mines and suffered twenty-seven casualties. New fast boat at Ramsgate. A major attack was mounted against Germans evacuating the French coast with many ships being sunk. Eventually they moved to Ostend in 1945 and luckily for Law he was in Felixstowe undergoing some radar repairs when the news of the explosion and fire among the boats was received. Canadian (five of eight boats) and a number of British boats were lost. It was a sad ending for the 29th Flotilla. Returned to Canada via the Queen Elizabeth to New York. Law was an Official Naval War Artist and painted many of the scenes he had seen. In command of HMCS Antigonish (frigate) where he was involved in the Fraser River floods and spent considerable money (and commandeered several things without authority). Returns again to comments about the torpedo boat war and how green they initially were and how competent they became. Many lost opportunities on the German as well as the British side.
- In Collection:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- 51.5, 10.5
- Original sound recording on one audio cassette also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- LCA_289
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/hal-lawrence-collection
- February 11, 2015
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2015. 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
