Berger-North, David V.: my Air Force training experience (March 11, 2014)
Interviewer: Fast, Benjamin
ABSTRACT: Narrator: Berger-North, David V. “Badger,” 1936-. Captain (RCAF) Flight Lieutenant (RAF) Title: My Air Force Training Experience Interviewer: Interviewed by Benjamin Fast. Extent: 1 sound recording (MP3 format) 1:43:16, 104 MB (file size) Interview Date and Location: 11 March 2014, Victoria, BC. Synopsis: The interview begins with standard interview narratives and an explanation of the Capt. Berger-North’s nickname and rank. He then goes on to describe his experience as a compulsory cadet in the UK and his family’s army history. The interview then moves on to childhood experiences in the Second World War up to the beginning of his national service. Capt. Berger-North then outlines his goals of becoming an architect before describing his enlistment experience and officer training. He also explains why he was trained in Canada. He then recounts his first training experiences and explains the RAF aircrew entry requirements. The interview then discusses friendships made in training and how he ended up in a successful career contrary to his earlier life goals. Capt. Berger-North then discusses RAF training in Canada compared to the UK and includes some anecdotes about instructors. He then describes cease-training rates and the difference in training today. Capt. Berger-North then describes his expectation of life after training and how his career changed to bombers. The interview then moves on to discuss combat expectations and experiences before covering training accidents and the impact of witnessing death. Capt. Berger-North then theorizes about the differences in training by nation and decade before discussing living conditions in Canada and meeting his wife while in training. He then recounts how his own struggles in training led to success as an instructor with the RCAF before recounting anecdotes about international trainees. The interview then moves on to discuss training effectiveness through the decades and personal anecdotes from his military service. The interview concludes with a comparison of RAF and RCAF training and discussing the future of military aviation training. 0:00 – standard interview narratives 0:13 – Spelling of name and explanation of his nickname 1:09 – explanation of RAF and RCAF ranks received, basic summary of life in military 2:23 – interest in military as a student and member of the compulsory cadet system in the UK, family military history 3:30 – flying scholarship and early flying experiences with the cadets 5:00 – beginning of national service 5:18 – experiences watching Second World War dogfights over South East England (Maidstone) as a child 6:58 – reality compared to movies about war, contrails all over the sky and hearing the German airplanes 8:32 – life between the Second World War and his enlistment in 1951, not much changed after the war 9:53 – explanation of compulsory National Service 10:11 – description of life after school, employment with the Motor Vehicle Licence Branch 11:12 – family reaction to enlisting with the air force 11:34 – goals of attending university for architecture, and details of interest in art as “escapism” 12:46 – enlisting experience at Cardington, aircrew selection at Hornchurch, officer training at Kirton Lindsey 14:18 – Explanation of reasons for training in Canada 15:42 – explanation of RAF entry requirements 16:42 – travel to Canada 17:08 – first experiences in Canada, discussion about international pilots in NATO training system, differences between UK and North America 18:03 – Sent to Penhold for Course 5504, basic training on Harvards 18:34 – Entry examination and what was required for RAF entry 19:51 – discussion of friends in training and how they still keep in contact, other friends who enlisted at the same time went on to other careers by staying in the RAF 22:13 – discussion of how he ended up in a successful military career, despite having other career goals 23:25 – discussion of RAF training in Canada, moving from Harvards to T-33 jet trainers, getting wings 24:45 – Discussion of quality of training in Canada compared to training in the UK 25:50 – discussion about learning self-confidence and cease-training rates, especially on the Harvard 26:54 – anecdote about difficulty with some instructors, comparison between Harvard and T-33 trainers 28:03 – discussion about cease-training rate and how it is different today because of financial investments 28:50 – importance of previous flying experience in succeeding in training, anecdote about other trainees and why they didn’t pass training 30:15 – pay was not a factor for choosing RAF 31:13 – talk about ground school training and the difficulty of adjusting to classroom learning in Penhold, AB 34:12 – expectations of career after training, flying experiences in the RAF 35:32 – talk about being forced onto bomber crews because of Javelin losses, discussion of deaths in other early jet aircraft 37:34 – disappointment in not flying Javelins (advanced jet fighters), anecdote about conversion to Canberras and positive outcome of change in career, experience of active service with the RAF 39:53 – flying activities in Libya and talk about the combat life of a Cold War Warrior during a time of constant conflict around the world 42:01 – expectations of getting in combat after the Second World War 42:55 – anecdotes about accidents in training both in RAF training and in later RCAF career 43:29 – anecdote about his own dangerous flying situations while in the RAF, and how he coped with accidents 43:38 – anecdote about seeing his first accident as an Air Traffic Controller in Cold Lake, AB. 49:30 – theorizes about difference in accidents between Harvard and jet training with anecdote about three accidents in one lunch hour because of the busy training bases 51:37 – the impact of witnessing death 52:59 – difference between American and British/Canadian training 56:12 – theorizing about superiority of training in 1950’s 58:07 – living conditions and life in Canada 59:15 – anecdote of meeting his future wife in Red Deer 1:02:07 – life outside of training in Canada, reaction to the weather in Alberta 1:04:58 – difficulties with instructors and anecdote about one good instructor 1:07:17 – issues learning to fly helped future career as an instructor 1:09:00 – group dynamic among international NATO trainees including suicides among Turkish officers 1:12:28 – age of pilots 1:13:28 – motivation in training and theorizing about poor university student pilot performance 1:55:55 – anecdotes about student crashes, 1967-1972 1:18:19 – feelings about instructing and later career 1:21:07 – training prepared well for later career 1:23:26 – the growing importance of money in training 1:24:33 – continued friendships from training from RAF and RCAF 1:28:25 – differences between training and active service 1:29:22 – anecdote about crash landing 1:31:42 – future training, conversion experiences 1:34:05 – discussion about better flight qualification system in RAF than RCAF 1:36:21 – showing gliding certificate and connection with early British aviator 1:38:33 – final additions regarding changes in training and the future impact on aviation of not having military training, too heavy reliance on technology and not basic flight principles 1:41:55 – Interview conclusion and standard interview narrative (with form signing) Interview ends. Suggested Clips for Archive: 23:25-25:50 – discussion about RAF training and how training in Canada provided better learning opportunities. 25:50-26:54 – anecdotes about experience on the Harvard trainer 43:38-49:07 – anecdote about seeing his first accidents as an Air Traffic Controller in Cold Lake, AB. 59:15-1:04:51 – anecdote of meeting his future wife and decision to leave the RAF and move to Canada 1:09:00-1:12:27 – anecdotes about international pilots 1:29:22-1:31:42 – anecdote about crash landing Subject Key Words: Royal Air Force, RAF, Royal Canadian Air Force, RCAF, Nicknames, England, Penhold, Portage la Prairie, Maidstone, Canberra, Bomber, Jet, Aircraft, Meteor, Casualties, Accidents, Tutor, Training Comparisons, Training, Motivation, Age, NATO, Turkish Pilots, International Training, Cold War, Libya, Mediterranean, Harvard, T-33, Air Traffic Control, Flight Instructor, Cadets, National Service, Cold Lake, Romance, Crashes, Kirton Lindsey, Canada, Entry Examinations, Education.
Rank: Captain.
Interviewee: Berger-North, David V.
An interview/narrative of Captain David V. Berger-North's training experiences with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on March 11, 2014.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- BND_799
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- April 3, 2014
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 141 kbps and 44 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2014. 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
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