Caldwell, Frank B.: my Navy recollections (June 4, and 8, 1982)
PublicRank: Commodore.
Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal
An interview/narrative of Frank Birch Caldwell's experiences during World War II. Commodore Caldwell served with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on June 4 and 8, 1982.
Interviewee: Caldwell, Frank B.
ABSTRACT: Commodore Frank B. Caldwell Royal Canadian Navy Part I (Cassette 1, Side 1) Joined HMCS Venture in October 1938, remaining until April 1939. Recounts the beginning of sail training in the RCN. After some financial difficulty Venture had been launched, despite a lien on unpaid sails, and commissioned in 1937. Joined HMCS Saguenay. Anecdote about the civil disturbance in San Salvador. Refers to midshipman training in HMS Dragon (cruiser). (Cassette 1, Side 2) Anecdote: HMCS Skeena at Acapulco. In Skeena there was some "difficulty" regarding the loss of the key to the Confidential Books locker. Joined the Royal Military College in 1932. Summer training with the RCNVR for two years and was accepted into the RCN, Speaks of time in the old coal burning mine sweepers. Names some RMC cadets who joined the navy. Part II There are no audio cassettes for Part II. Transcript (46 pp) only. Comdr. Caldwell discusses the motivation for joining the navy. In his case an interest in the large ships of the Royal Navy when visiting Halifax. Attended RMC with summer naval training (RCNVR) then joined the RCN in August 1934 as a naval cadet. Sent to HMS Frobisher (cadet training cruiser). Two cruisers, one to the Mediterranean and the second to the West Indies, in the first year. In 1935 cruised in Scandinavia. Frobisher attended the Jubilee review in 1935. At Chatham upon graduating as a Midshipman he was awarded the King's Dirk (top of the class). Joined HMS Dragon (cruiser) on the West Indies Station. Due to the Italian war in Abyssinia the ship was required to keep an eye on Italian and German shipping. Later joined HMS Royal Oak (battleship) on the Spanish patrol, protecting British Ships taking legitimate cargo to Spain. Joined HMS Courageous (aircraft carrier) for indoctrination including the last of the Sopwith aeroplanes which were very light and actually flew straight off the hanger deck and out the bow of the ship. Joined HMS Excellent (Gunnery Training Establishment) at Portsmouth for his Sub-Lieutenant courses which were completed in 1938. Took passage to Canada in HMCS Ottawa (Capt. Victor Bordeaux). Joined HMCS Saguenay (destroyer) and for a short time MHCS Venture. Returned to Saguenay in time to escort the Empress of Australia to Quebec with the King and Queen. World Fair in New York then home to be fitted with Asdic, leaving dry dock, on Sept. 3, 1939. Part of the escort for the first convoy to the UK. In 1940 appointed executive officer in HMCS St. Laurent. The ship and Skeena, Restigouche, and Fraser were rushed to the UK to aid in the evacuation of the Army from France. Off St. Valery they fired on German artillery. Part of the escort to the Second Canadian Division as it approached England. Comments on the TSDS (Two Speed Destroyer Sweep) minesweeping gear. Participated in the rescue of the sinking ANANDORA STAR carrying large number of German and Italian Prisoners of war. Picked up several hundred. Convoy work then posted to HMS Vernon for the Long T course (Torpedo) including a land/sea mine course. Course completed and after a while was appointed executive officer in HMCS Ottawa (1941) then to HMCS Niobe (shore base) at Greenock where as well as trying to locate Canadian stokers lent to the RN, Caldwell had to run a 60 acre farm attached to the base. In the autumn of 1942 he was appointed XO of HMCS Athabaskan, then building. Joined the Home Fleet at Scapa. Autumn 1943 returned to Canada on sick leave. After a month appointed to HMCS Ontario then building in Belfast. In the meantime four months spent on "cruiser time" in HMS Belfast. Rejoined Ontario as Second Torpedo Officer then as First Lieutenant. Volunteering for the Pacific War caused trouble. Caldwell feels that a better way would be to say that the crews could avail themselves of an opportunity to return to Canada if they wished to. In the event only a few left to ship and could be replaced at Greenock before Ontario left for the Far East. Ontario did one "sweep" out of Colombo then in August formed part of the force re-occupying Hong Kong. Much work in attempting to get the city machinery operating again. HMCS Prince Rupert arrived to pick up former Canadian P.O.W.'s. To Esquimalt where they were greeted by Abbot, the Minister of Defence, and de-commissioned the ship. Accounting for stores including a missing stop watch and a 4" shell later found in luggage storage in Calgary! To London to wind down the staff operations there. This account ends in late 1945, early 1946.
- In Collection:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 51.05011, -114.08529
- Original sound recording on one audio cassette also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- CFB_271
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/hal-lawrence-collection
- January 29, 2014
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2014. 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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Caldwell_F_0271_01.mp3 | Public |
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Caldwell_F_0271_02.mp3 | Public |
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