Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal

An interview/narrative of Russell F. Choat's experiences during World War II. Captain Choat served with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, and the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on January 26, 1988.

ABSTRACT: Capt. R. F. Choat Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Canadian Navy Part of Capt. Choat's youth spent near Duncan, B.C. Went to England in 1936. At age 18 obtained entry to HMCS Royal Roads but the ship in which he and his family were returning to Canada was torpedoed (City of Benares). In 1942 he joined the RNVR, served in the sloop HMS Guillemot, based on the east coast of England. Sent to King Alfred for midshipman training (1943). Posted to another sloop, HMS Stork, again on the east coast. In action against German E-boats. Describes broad-side messing - where each mess prepared their food and took it to the galley to be cooked. Describes wartime run - to Freetown (Sierra Leone) to Alexandria (Egypt) and back to the UK. Sank one submarine at that time. By 1943 they were getting fighters support from North Africa. Anecdote regarding the captain's attitude toward midshipmen - Choat could not remain in the wardroom if the captain came in. Next posted to Royal Marine Assault Landing Craft flotilla as a Flight Commander (of six boats) and Navigational commander. They were attached to the Llandgibby Castle and landed Canadian troops on Juno Beach at the start of the invasion. His boat was hit and sank close to shore but all the crew and the troops managed to wade ashore. Many other boats were sunk after they had landed troops. Choat waded out to be picked up by another landing craft and returned to his mother ship. Later in June 1944 he was posted to a coal-burning trawler (HMS Cape Cormorin) in the Azores on patrol to protect supplies being unloaded by the Americans constructing an air base. Promoted to Acting Sub-Lieutenant and next posted to an RN frigate, HMS Riou (Jan. 1945) operating off the Dutch coast against U-Boats and directing our MTB attacks. (Spring 1945). The Controllers for the MTB's were experienced MTB Officers carried especially (one of whom was a Cdr.). Describes the MTB/E-Boat Operation. HMS Riou was a Captain-class frigate, built in the U.S. and was occasionally in action against E-boats, usually returning home. Discusses the radar and other direction-finding equipment. At the end of the war the Riou was the first naval vessel to enter Hamburg. Later picked up half a dozen U-boats to be escorted to Scotland for final surrender. After the war Riou was engaged in sinking floating mines in the English Channel. In September 1945 left Riou on transfer to the RCNVR and promoted to Lieutenant on appointment to HMCS Crusader then building in UK after a six-week course at HMS Osprey as a torpedo and Anti-Submarine Control Officer. Eventually ended as Navigating Officer. Sailed to Esquimalt and was immediately decommissioned. Choat stayed aboard to de-store and pay-off the ship. Joined HMCS Uganda (cruiser). Anecdotes about Capt. Ken Adams as a captain and ship-handler. When Uganda became Quebec he served under Capt. Finch-Noyes who unfortunately suffered a break-down at sea on a cruise to South Africa. The officers gathered around to protect and allow the captain to recover which, after some time, he did. Then to the West Coast to the Navigational Direction Training Centre before joining the destroyers HMCS Crescent and a year later, HMCS Assiniboine. Then to HMCS Cornwallis as a training officer. Anecdote of his romantic escapade and final marriage to his wife - on a date ordered by his commanding officer! Returns to a more full account of the sinking of the City of Benares from which he was saved, although his father was not. A last comment on the value of training and how wearing the four on, four off watch system was, especially when the weather was bad.

Interviewee: Choat, Russell Frederick

Rank: Captain.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Choat, Russell Frederick
• Lawrence, Hal

Subject

• World War (1914-1918)
• Naval history
• Canada. Royal Canadian Navy
• World War (1939-1945)
• Military history

Language

• eng

Date created

• January 26, 1988

Relation

• Part of the Hal Lawrence collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Text

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 1 transcript (30 pages)

Geographic Coverage

• England

Coordinates

• 52.16045, -0.70312

Additional physical characteristics

• No audio recording held.

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)
• transcripts
• reminiscences
• interviews

Archival item identifier

• CRF_275

Fonds title

• Hal Lawrence collection

Fonds identifier

• SC066

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/hal-lawrence-collection

Technical note

• 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

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/7trn-wh65

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