Rank: Private.

ABSTRACT: Private Frank Planes How got involved in "Gumboot Navy." Enlisted at Little Mountain Barracks. Gets on boat with Regimental Sergeant Major Harry Kemp who enlisted him. Was assigned as Quarter Master and Machine Gunner with Lewis machine Gun. Becomes snipper. Becomes part of anti-submarine campaign. Wally Layton from Metlakatla become skipper. Might have witnessed Air contingency that bombed Dutch Harbour. Ucluelet Harbour Plane Crash of Bomber. Was picked to patrol water between Victoria and Ahousaht. Leonard Nelson coverd water from Ahousaht to Cape Scott. From Cape Scott to Metlatakla was patrolled by Wally Layton. Discusses air support. Discusses wedding. Discusses time at see 1090 days, and machine gun and pension. Talks about when enlisted and how he they changed his race from Aboriginal to French. Would not recognize him as hereditary chief. Discusses life after Army, and trying to get back into fishing business. Fishing on boats out of Victoria, Prince Rupert. Pacific Bell was first boat. Started Pacific Bell Fishing company. Fished Halibut. Got caught in 3 hurricanes. Tape 1, Side 1 001 - How was recruited to Gumboot Navy 1943 080 - starts on Journey to Little Mountain Barracks 160 - Is made aware that will be serving on a ship 290 - takes officers on yacht to York Island close to Seymour Narrows 350 - Join Harry Kemp on boat Tape 1, Side 2 001 - learning how to dismantle machine gun 019 - finds out will be submarine hunter 033 - talk of training on water as child 059 - takes engineers into pipeline site 100 - wife follows him around island 106 - discusses air support and campaign (possibly air rade on Dutch Harbour) 245 - training of loggers as guerilla fighters 350 - Ucluelet harbour plane crash 370 - sets Alberni Inlet on fire. Tape 2, Side 1 001 - Resumes Alberni Inlet fire story 020 - Picked to cover water from Victoria to Ahousaht 055 - discusses air support 065 - looks at pictures 080 - wedding talk 120 - discusses pension 145 - thew out uniform 160 - internal name of gumboot navy 180 - Discusses Dutch Harbour bombing 193 - Practiced machine gunning with sea lions? 200 - enlistment story about race, enlisted him as frenchman instead of indian 255 - Talks about his hereditary chiefs name 300 - Travelling as youth with older ladies from village food gathering 330 - After get out of army, lifestyle Tape 2, Side 2 001 - Buys first boat 040 - Starts Pacific Bell Fishing Company 070 - Fishes almost 1 million lbs of Halibut 082 - Got caught in 3 hurricanes 142 - Sell big fishing boat 160 - Buys small boat 200 - small boat featured in thriller film called "lighthouse" 250 - look at pacific trap shooting association trophies 380 - thoughts on war Tape 3, Side 1 001 - Aboriginal strategies on avoiding war 030 - Family history 045 - end tape

Interviewee: Planes, Frank

Interviewer: Wood, Jessica

An interview/narrative of Private Frank Planes's experiences whilst serving in the Fishermen's Reserve. Interview took place in 2005.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Wood, Jessica
• Planes, Frank

Subject

• Canada. RCAF Station (Ucluelet, B.C.)
• Military history
• Fishers
• Fishing

Language

• eng

Date created

• 2005

Relation

• Title of paper: "Warriors Remember: Aboriginal Veterans & Oral History In Canada". Link:  http://rusiviccda.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Warriors-Remember-Aboriginal-Veterans-and-Oral-History-In-Canada.pdf
• Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 5 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic Coverage

• British Columbia--Prince Rupert
• British Columbia--Victoria
• Ahousaht (First Nation)
• British Columbia--Ucluelet
• Alaska--Dutch Harbor

Coordinates

• 48.94153, -125.54635
• 53.8898, -166.5422
• 48.4359, -123.35155
• 49.2833, -126.0667
• 54.31507, -130.32098

Additional physical characteristics

• Original sound recording on audio cassette also available.

Physical Repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• oral histories (literary genre)
• reminiscences
• sound recordings
• interviews

Archival item identifier

• PF_542

Fonds title

• Military oral history collection

Fonds identifier

• SC141

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection

Date digitized

• August 21, 2012

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2012. 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

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/p7fy-sp87

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail		Press to Select an action Download
	Planes_F_0542_01.mp3		Press to Select an action Download
	Planes_F_0542_02.mp3		Press to Select an action Download
	Planes_F_0542_03.mp3		Press to Select an action Download
	Planes_F_0542_04.mp3		Press to Select an action Download
	Planes_F_0542_05.mp3		Press to Select an action Download