Milne, George Ralph: my Navy recollections (September 8, 1986)
PublicInterviewer: Aylward, Rick
Rank: Lieutenant-Commander.
ABSTRACT: Lieut. Cdr. George Milne Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Canadian Navy Milne_G_0107_01.mp3 Born on Oct. 22, 1916 Regina. Joined the R.C.N.V.R. in Apr. 1939 and underwent two weeks training on the west coast that summer. On Sept. 4, 1939 sent from Regina to Victoria for basic training. Transferred to Halifax. Describes life as a married ordinary seaman. Ottawa, then to St-Hyacinthe, the communications school. Promoted to petty officer. Went to sea in H.M.C.S. Malpeque (minesweeper) on the east coast convoy runs. Discusses naval conditions on the west coast. (20:00) Posted to H.M.C.S. St. Catharines (frigate) of the Second Escort Group on convoy duty from St. John's to Londonderry. For a time on mid-ocean escort duty. Transferred to the R.C.N. in 1943 and appointed an instructor in visual communications at St-Hyacinthe. Served aboard H.M.C.S. Crescent (destroyer) in 1949 as part of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, Royal Navy at Hong Kong. The ship provided a communications link between Nanking and Ottawa. Relates something of the incident concerning H.M.S. Amethyst (sloop). (45:00) Crescent herself came under fire from Communist artillery as she went down the Yangtze River, but without damage. Chief petty officer. Milne_G_0107_02.mp3 Sent on a course for promotion to commissioned communications officer. Served at H.M.C.S. Shearwater, the naval air branch base. Signals school at Halifax. Comments on Russian activity in the Atlantic. (11:00) Great communication step forward as the new destroyers joined the fleet in the 1950's. Promoted to the wireless station with worldwide capability. Left the navy in 1965 at the start of the integration process. (20:00) Government job in Ottawa in communications. Offers his feelings on integration and unification. (27:00)
Interviewee: Milne, George Ralph, b. 1916
An interview/narrative of George Ralph Milne's experiences during World War II. Lieutenant-Commander Milne served with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on September 8, 1986.
- In Collection:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- One original sound tape reel (ca. 75 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- MGR_107
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds
- July 12, 2007
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by AN, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. 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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Milne_G_0107_02.mp3 | Public |
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