Interview with Lieutenant Commander Timothy Flath

Narrator: Lieutenant Commander Timothy Flath Interviewer: John Thomson Interview Date and Location Thursday, February 29, 2024 - Royal Canadian Legion, Langford, British Columbia, In-person Synopsis of the Interview: Lieutenant Commander Flath was born in 1960 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. His father was in the Canadian military so his family lived in many different locations. He joined the RCN in Calgary, Alberta in 1986 and he completed his initial training at CFOCS Chilliwack, B.C. Flath held many different positions in the navy, including Maritime Surface Officer (MARS), Bridge Watchkeeper, Above Water Weapons Officer, and Dive Officer, before qualifying as a Clearance Diver. He explains that he became a Clearance Diver because it was an interesting and challenging profession. Flath was never bored, there were always projects to complete, there was never any “down time”, and he was tasked with many responsibilities. He was also able to participate in exchanges with the U.S. Navy in order further his training and to learn about their procedures and practises. Flath discusses his participation in the recovery of military munitions from a lake in the Yukon and he mentions the role of Clearance Divers in Afghanistan, in the recovery of items from the Swiss Air 111 disaster, and the assistance to a tragic collision between a fishing vessel and a barge in Active Pass, B.C. In addition, he discusses his role as a ship’s diver in the recovery of a large number of people on a derelict vessel near Vietnam. Flath concludes the interview by highlighting his participation in the scuttling of a U.S. aircraft carrier near Hawaii and by highly recommending, to young people, a career as a Clearance Diver in the RCN. Interview Time Log: 00:59 - 01:49 – Early life before joining the military. 01:50 – 02:50 – Inspiration for joining the military. 03:11- 03:32 – Initial training in Chilliwack, British Columbia (CFOCS). 03:33 – 04:30 – Postings after initial training: Gunnery Officer, driving a warship, Naval Boarding Officer, Ship’s Team Diver. Motivation to become a Clearance Diver. 05:31 – 06:56 – Explanation of duties of a Ship’s Team Diver. 06:57 – 08:00 – Reason for getting into Clearance Diving. 08:06 – 10:52 – Responsibilities as a Clearance Diver. 10:55 – 16:14 – Role as a Demolitions Officer relating to Clearance Diving. 16:30 – 19:34 – EOD Officer exchange with the U.S. Navy. 19:36 – 21:33 – Assisting other Branches of the CAF. 21:46 – 26:51 – Routine, everyday tasks of a Clearance Diver. 26:52 – 35:10 – Most difficult task, emotionally and/or physically, that a Clearance Diver would be required to undertake. 35:12 – 38:39 – Involvement in “historically significant incidents”. 38:41 – 43:48 – Participation in recovery of Boat People near Vietnam. 44:13 – 50:50 – Career Highlights. 50:55 – 54:22 – Concluding comments. Significant Stand-Outs in the Interview: Routine, everyday tasks of a Clearance Diver. EOD, Lake La Barge, Yukon. Swiss Air 111 disaster. Fishing boat/barge collision in Active Pass, B.C. Scuttling a U.S. aircraft carrier assault ship.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Flath, Timothy
• Thomson, John

Subject

• Military education
• Canada. Royal Canadian Navy
• Swissair Flight 111 Crash (1998)
• Military history
• Underwater demolition teams
• Scuba diving

Language

• eng

Identifier

• Interview #SC141_FT_924

Keyword

• Scuttling U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier/Assault Ship
• Clearance Diver duties and responsibilities
• Naval Boarding Officer
• Clearance Diver
• Swiss Air 111
• Rescue of Vietnam Boat People
• Role of Clearance Divers in the Afghan War
• Ship’s Team Diver
• Fishing Boat/Barge Collision in Active Pass, B.C.
• Gunnery officer
• Demolitions Officer
• CFOCS Chilliwack, B.C.

Date created

• February 29, 2024

Relation

• Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews (HIST 426, 2024).

Resource type

• Moving Image

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 00:54:29

Alternative title

• A Brief History of Royal Canadian Navy Clearance Divers

Geographic Coverage

• Nova Scotia
• Afghanistan

Coordinates

• 33, 66
• 45.00015, -62.99865

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)
• interviews
• reminiscences
• video recordings (physical artifacts)

Archival item identifier

• Accession Number: 2025-002; Series 7; Item: 924

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

Technical note

• Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2024. Recorded in digital format by interviewer. Keywords supplied by interviewer. Metadata by KD.

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/cwmt-8e89