Dzioba, Larry A.: my Navy recollections (May 4, 1989)
Downloadable Content
Download PDFRank: Captain.
Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal
ABSTRACT: Capt. Larry A. Dzioba Royal Canadian Navy Canadian Forces (N) After passing his Officer Selection Board, Capt. Dzioba joined the RCN at Royal Roads with the entry class of 1949. Believes that his may be the first class to feel the effect of the Mainguy Report since there were a number of cadets from other than an Anglo background. At this time Royal Roads was a tri-service institution commanded by Group Captain Milroy. Little sign of any naval influence, academics being the thing. Cadets who wanted the navy went to sea in the summer. Appointed to HMCS Ontario (cruiser). Sailed for the East Coast in order to take Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh from Sydney, N.S., to St. John's, Newfoundland. While ashore at Sydney, the midshipmen misbehaved and the whole class suffered stoppage of leave for a month. One of the class was pressured into approaching the Royal couple to suggest that the Royal prerogative be used to grant clemency to all under punishment. This was not popular with the ship's Commander. However, when Princess Elizabeth went ashore it was announced that clemency had been granted. Capt. E. P. Tisdale commanded Ontario, was both firm and knowledgeable. Ontario to refit and the ten midshipmen were sent to frigates to sail south for additional training in navigation and seamanship. Comments on Officer-of-the-Watch with many others filling the bridge of Ontario and the single officer (and his midshipman assistant) in a frigate. Excellent "role-model" experience very necessary for organizing naval vessels. Hard study for their Seamanship Board which he passed in 1952 (comment here on men's dress in the 1950's - not all wished to wear "Canada" badges). As a midshipman he spent almost four months in destroyer before going to Greenwich for Sub-Lieutenant's courses. Hard work put the Canadians near the top of the class. Describes his marriage at the age of twenty to a Canadian girl and the Anglican priest at Greenwich, because he was legally under age, demanded that he obtain his parents' permission. Some comment on life at Greenwich. Moved to HMS Excellent (Whale Island) and HMS Vernon were hard work. Navigation at HMS Dryad. Academics essential but competence at sea was the bench-mark. A failure in that meant course repetition. Returned to Canada, appointed to HMCS Ontario as a Sub-Lieutenant in 1954 where they trained HMCS Venture cadets. Comments on the Venture system of training young cadets. In Ontario he found himself appointed Communications Officer - the head of a department - and with a very good staff. After six months he obtained his watch-keeping certificate. Now a Lieutenant he was sent as divisional officer to HMCS Cornwallis together with all of his original class, each in charge of about sixty new entry seamen. Anecdote of the young recruits on the station platform being told to rid themselves of all the knives, brass knuckles, liquor etc. that they were carrying or there would be no supper - and the lads were all hungry. Very effective method. The next twenty weeks of training made a vast difference to most young men - a marked change for the better. Dzioba attended the first Canadian Long Gunnery course in 1958, qualifying in 1959. After eighteen months in HMCS Kootenay (destroyer escort) went to the Long Weapons course then to HMCS Saguenay on the West Coast. In 1963 promoted to Lt. Commander and sent as an exchange officer to the RN - to the Experimental Department at Whale Island. Returned to the Canadian Gunnery School eventually taking over as the Long Weapons Officer. Unification and R/Adm Landymore, particularly the dinner organized by the Lt. Commanders for R/Adm Landymore and the mess dinner organized by the admiral - again for the Lt. Commanders at which he pointed out that the Lt. Commanders were vital to the continuation of the Navy. Returns to his time at Whale Island and how much time and effort was put into tactical development, missiles, trials etc. Questioned about the influence on the Canadian Navy by the U.S. Navy. This transition did not start until the 1970's - moving into the American style of operations, etc. particularly on the West Coast. However, the Americans did train some of our young officers in submarine operations. These officers eventually went back to the RN system and to the Perisher Course (submarine commanders' qualifying course) called Perisher's Course because so many candidates will perish - that is, fail - as many as fifty percent did! Capt. Dzioba then commanded three destroyers in short order - Algonquin, Halifax to Esquimalt to pay her off, Saguenay from Expo '67 to Halifax and into refit - and a new captain, Pat Ryan, then Terra Nova for three years as a Commander. Next to Washington as one of the Liaison Officers. Learned a great deal about the USN and the bureaucracy. Appointed to Protector (operational support ship) as a newly promoted Captain and stayed for three years. Retired after thirty-eight years of service.
An interview/narrative of Captain Larry A. Dzioba's experiences whilst serving with the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Forces. Interview took place on May 4, 1989.
Interviewee: Dzioba, Larry A.
- In Collection:
- 1 transcript (40 pages)
- 51.45, 0.05
- No audio recording held.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- DLA_276
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/hal-lawrence-collection
- Technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Migration metadata by KD and MT.PDF. Technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. 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
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail |
|
|
|
|
Dzioba_L_0276_01.pdf |
|