Stedeford, Don: my Northern Ireland experiences (February 20, 2016)
Interviewee: Stedeford, Don, 1956-
An interview/narrative of Don Stedeford's experiences in Northern Ireland. Stedeford served with the British Army. Interview took place on February 20, 2016.
Interviewer: Riordon, Kate
ABSTRACT: Military Oral History Project Interview Summary Narrator: Stedeford, Don; 1956- Title: An Outsider’s Understanding of the Northern Ireland Conflict Interviewer: Interviewed by Kate Riordon Extent 3 sound recordings (MP3) 1:26:68, 199MB Interview Date and Location 20 February, 2016; Nanaimo BC Synopsis: Don Stedeford comes from a long line of British Army men and fought in Northern Ireland during peak time of the Troubles in the mid-1970s. He served three tours in total, during which times he worked either with the Royal Engineers or the Intelligence Core in different parts of Belfast. As part of the Royal Engineers his job entailed a lot of teamwork and thus helped foster a deep sense of comradery; within the Intelligence Core he worked as an independent with the local government and followed a more typical civilian-style lifestyle. Through his various experiences Stedeford was able to interact with Irish civilians and militants from both the Catholic and Protestant factions which aided his responsibilities, but did not make the conflict any easier to comprehend. Looking back on the conflict and his experiences therein, Stedeford enjoyed his work in the Intelligence Core in that it offered a more fulfilling experience that could be carried on into his later military career in Canada. Likewise, he enjoyed working amongst the Irish people and regrets the overtly political and religious situation the majority of the population found itself trapped in; however, he believes that the Troubles did not end in the late 1990s and that the issues present in the 1970s have simply changed form. 0:00 – 2:13 – Growing up in Ardentinny, Scotland, and family military background. 2:14 – 5:02 – Explanation of various levels of training; basic soldiering & Royal Engineers. 5:03 – 9:52 – Responsibilities in the Royal Engineers. 9:53 – 13:19 – Transfer to Intelligence Core and pre-Ireland deployments (Kenya & Cypress). 13:20 – 17:31 – Basic outline of 3 tours and jobs involved therein. 17:32 – 19:24 – Background of conflict. 19:25 – 28:04 – Description of first tour. Anecdote about initial arrival. 28:05 – 06:22 (new recording) – Interactions with & anecdote about local interactions. 06:23 – 11:44 – Preparing for/dealing with religious tensions. 11:45 – 16:28 – Description & anecdote about first tour Engineer jobs. 16:29 – 31:05 – Description of Intelligence Core work. 31:06 – 35:20 – Description of patrols. 35:21 – 41:44 – Comments on various jobs and comradery. 41:45 – 3:22 (new recording) – Changing issues facing the British Army in Northern Ireland and lasting changes therein. 3:23 – 7:19 – Responses from local populations. 7:20 – 11:59 – Remarks on the situation in Northern Ireland since the last tour. 12:00 – 12:23 – Conclusion. Suggested Clip(s) for Archive: 20:26 – 22:02 – Description of atmosphere surrounding new arrivals to the conflict. 1:07 – 2:11 (2REC) – Observation of the civilian situation. 5:19 – 5:46 – Description of tensions felt when out amongst locals. 15:59 – 16:28 – Quote about being shot at while on duty with Royal Engineers. 18:27 – 20:41 – Thoughts about the overall nature of the Troubles, mid-70s. 31:06 – 35:21 – Description of Belfast patrols and discrepancies between soldiers and politicians. 8:02 – 9:05 (3REC) – Thoughts on the situation in Northern Ireland post-Troubles. Subject Key Words Manned service; Royal Engineers, B3 Combat Engineer; B2 Combat Engineer, Armed Training, Combat Engineers; A-Class trade, A3 Design Assistant; A2 Design Assistant, Construction Laboratory Operator; Intelligence Core; Northern Ireland, Lisburn, Belfast; 33 Independent Field Squadron, Antram; NIRTT, Northern Ireland Reinforcement Team Training, Scottish Regiment; excused haircuts policy; religious tensions; site screens; Royal Ulster Constabulary; troop task, Operation Motorman; Comradery; patrols, 4-man bricks; criminal elements.
- In Collection:
- 3 sound recordings (MP3)
- 54.5, -6.5
- Original sound recordings (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- SD_832
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- February 20, 2016
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 192 kbps. 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 2016. 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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