Goodman, Charles: my Army recollections (November 18, 2009)
PublicInterviewee: Goodman, Charles, b. 1926
Rank: Major.
An interview/narrative of Charles Goodman's experiences during World War II. Interview took place on November 18, 2009.
Interviewer: Hill, Ryan
ABSTRACT: Major Charles Goodman The interview conducted with Major Charles Goodman on 18 November 2009 begins with Goodman’s arrival in Great Britain in the spring of 1944. He begins his recollections by discussing how he ended up with the South Saskatchewan Regiment and describes that actions leading up to his first exposure to the front lines outside of Caen. A chronological account is given beginning with combat operations around Ifs, Verrieres, and Rocquancourt. Goodman discusses burial duty (11:00) and notes how little the private soldier was told in regards to the big picture of any given offensive. Particular focus is paid to the battle at Fôret de la Londe where the SSR’s took heavy casualties (33:00-42:00). Goodman discusses interacting with the local population in France, parading at Dieppe (44:30) in early September 1944, and his transfer to the signal platoon. Brief mention is made to clashes at the channel ports in Belgium and one particular story is told about Goodman’s use of a PIAT to deter a German tank (1:03:00). The interview then goes on to discuss skirmishes in the Reichswald forest and the difficult weather conditions that Goodman experienced in the winter of 1945 (1:32:00-1:38:00). Goodman recalls an offensive in armoured personnel carriers (1:43:00) where he ended up taking several Germans prisoners in the process. Several injuries are mentioned (1:53:20), and the interview concludes with general reflections on what stands out most clearly in Goodman’s memory of the Second World War (1:57:10-end). Arrival in Great Britain, recruited to the South Saskatchewan Regiment 00:30-02:00 Lead up to joining the regiment on the front line in Normandy 02:00-04:00 Description of duties and life around Ifs 04:00-11:00 Burial duty 11:00-13:00 Verrieres 13:00-15:00 Operation Totalize 15:00-21:00 Move towards Falaise 21:00-23:00 Friendly fire 23:00-25:00 Falaise 25:00-27:00 Brionne 27:00-30:00 Fôret de la Londe 33:00-42:00 Rouen 42:00-44:30 Dieppe (1944) / reinforcements 44:30-47:30 Channel Ports / Signal Corps 47:30-55:00 Story about dysentery 55:00-58:00 Leave 1:00:00-1:01:00 Antwerp-Turnhout Canal / PIAT usage 1:01:00-1:08:30 Lochtenberg 1:10:30-1:15:00 Close encounter with German infantry 1:15:00-1:20:30 Helping a wounded Canadian soldier 1:20:30-1:22:00 Operations in Belgium 1:20:30-1:23:30 Wounded / field hospital near Antwerp 1:23:30-1:27:30 Scheldt Estuary/ radio communications 1:27:30-1:31:00 Reichswald Forest 1:32:00-1:36:00 Christmas 1944 1:36:00-1:38:00 Offensive in Kangaroos 1:38:00-1:45:00 1:45:00-1:50:00 Liberation of a concentration camp 1:49:00-1:50:30 Groningen 1:50:30-1:53:00 Hitting a tank mine 1:53:00-1:54:00 Conclusion of the war 1:54:00-1:57:00 General reflections 1:57:00-end
- In Collection:
- Canada--Canadian Army--South Saskatchewan Regiment (1936- )
- Falaise Gap, Battle of, France, 1944
- Kangaroo (Armoured personnel carrier)
- Brionne, Battle of, Brionne (Eure, France), 1944
- Antwerp, Battle of, Antwerp, Belgium, 1944
- Canada--Canadian Army Overseas
- World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Liberation
- Canada--Canadian Army--Leaves and furloughs
- World War, 1939-1945--Medical care
- Mines (Military explosives)
- Antitank weapons
- Verrières Ridge, Battle of, Caen (France), 1944
- Goodman, Charles, 1926- --Interviews
- Ifs, Battle of, Caen (France), 1944
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Normandy
- Operation Totalize, 1944
- Soldiers--Wounds and injuries--Canada
- Canada--Canadian Army--Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
- Foret de la Londe, Battle of, Normandy (France), 1944
- Reichswald, Battle of the, Germany, 1945
- Canada--Canadian Army--Combat sustainability
- Caen, Battle of, Caen, France, 1944
- Rocquancourt, Battle of, Rocquancourt (France), 1944
- Friendly fire (Military science)
- D-Day, 1944 (Normandy invasion)
- Turnhout Canal, Battle of, Antwerp, Belgium, 1944
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
- Dieppe, Battle of, Dieppe, France, 1944
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Belgium
- Prisoners of war
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Scheldt River Estuary (Netherlands and Belgium)
- War wounds
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 60.10867, -113.64258
- 49, 0
- Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- GC_604
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- November 18, 2009
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 48 kbps and 22 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 2009. 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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