Grant, John Moreau: my Navy recollections (February 7, and 8, 1984)
PublicABSTRACT: Captain John M. Grant, CBE Royal Canadian Navy (Cassette 1, Side 1) Joined the first class of twenty-one at the Royal Naval College of Canada in January 1911. Much emphasis on practical engineering. Sea time was done by sail-training to learn pilotage and seamanship. After two years joined HMS Berwick at Sheerness where the Canadian midshipmen were the entire gunroom. Cruise in Berwick to the West Indies. Just prior to that they joined the Home Fleet manoeuvres. The sub of the gunroom would administer a canning from time to time - six of the best - which the midshipmen all considered to be justly deserved. Discusses his classmates who were killed at the Battle of Coronel in 1914. In the cruise to the West Indies where he participated in a short expedition, half a day up a river where a British concern was being bothered by local bandits. Returned to Bermuda and then Halifax where Captain Grant was ordered to join the cruiser HMS Suffolk (14 August, 1914). Joined in the New York Patrol (against German ships trying to get home to Germany). Appointed to HMS Beaver (destroyer) at Harwick - after his Sub-Lieutenants' courses, which he took at the Naval College in Halifax. Discusses some aspects of life there, including the then CO Lt. Cmdr. Nixon and the Engineer Officer Lt. Tim Bartlett. Very devoted officers. Notes that if a cadet fell ill, Lt. Cmdr. Nixon always produced a thermometer and if you had a temperature you were sick, and if not you were not considered ill! Returns to the Beaver a very fast ship but for Capt. Grant, his first experience with a small, neat turbine. They were part of the Harwick Force most often escorting supply ships from the Hook of Holland (the Beef Trip) to England. Did High Speed Submarine Sweeps - describes the use of paravanes as sweeps by several destroyers in formation in the hope of catching a submarine (at a certain estimated depth). In 1917, still in Beaver, resumed anti-submarine patrols and at the end of the war entered the Dardanelles. However prior to the war's end the Beaver participated in the bombardment of Durazzo on the Albanian Coast. Through the Dardanelles to Sulina at the mouth of the Danube where the International Pilotage Depot was located. To Galati in Romania, showing the flag. Then to Odessa where they were greeted by a Loyalist ("white") cavalry regiment. Then to Sevastopol where they saw the abandoned Russian Black Sea Fleet. Considerable gunfire in the city. Great poverty, much robbery. In Odessa the RN took over such facilities as the telegraph office. Since Grant spoke a bit of German, which most Ukrainians did, he was used by his Captain as interpreter. (Cassette 1, Side 2) Some discussion of the civil war in Russia and how Beaver did service - patrolling - carrying senior officers. Returned to Malta for more of the same. Eyesight tested at Malta and due to this was returned to Canada where he was appointed Supply Officer and eventually Executive Officer of the Royal Canadian Naval College at Esquimalt (until 1921). Returns again to discuss the Canadian midshipmen who went with R/Adm. Cradock in HMS Good Hope. Comment favourably on the efficiency of the German ships and V/Adm, Graf von Spee, lost at Coronel. Capt. Grant was invalided out of the Navy as a Lieutenant in 1921. Returned for a short time to assist in training young recruits, largely in academic subjects. By 1924 had joined the new Brentwood College as Bursar, which also included teaching duties. Remained there until 1932. In 1939 was recalled as a Lieutenant shortly promoted to Lieutenant Commander, to Ottawa. Involved in gathering information of German merchant shipping. Appointed Commander in the naval barracks at Esquimalt (HMCS Naden) under Capt. WBL Holmes. (Cassette 2, Side 1) Appointed in command of HMCS Royal Roads, the new naval college. The first class of Acting Probationary Temporary Sub-Lieutenants was accepted in 1940. The Director of Studies was Ken Ketchum, formerly Headmaster at St. Andrews College at Aurora, Ont. Discusses the professors who joined from RMC and other institutions. The earlier instruction had been involved with naval instructions in order to get RCNVR officers to sea in the relatively short time of four months. RCN cadets were first taken in 1942. Capt. Grant stayed in command for nearly five years. In 1943 he was allowed to tour the training establishments in the UK particularly Dartmouth. Capt. Grant was able to arrange that Canadian midshipmen were able to have RN training with some emphasis on Canadian Engineer Midshipmen. Comments on his assessment of the earlier RCNVR students. Replaced by Capt. WB Creery and appointed to Ottawa as an assistant to the Chief of Naval Staff. Is of the opinion that the Tri-Service Colleges were an advantageous thing in that scholastics were uniform and friendships could be formed throughout the Armed Forces. Retired in 1946.
Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal
Rank: Captain. Medals and Honours: Order of the British Empire
Interviewee: Grant, John Moreau
An interview/narrative of John Moreau Grant's experiences during World War I and World War II. Captain Grant served with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on February 7 and 8, 1984.
- In Collection:
- 3 sound recordings (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 51.5, 10.5
- Original sound recordings on two audio cassettes also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- GJM_277
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/hal-lawrence-collection
- November 7, 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. ; WWI 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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