Fairclough, Floyd A.: my Navy recollections (July 14, 1982)

Rank: Leading Engine Room Artificer.

ABSTRACT: Leading E.R.A. (Engine Room Artificer) Floyd A. Fairclough Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve Fairclough_F_0052_01.mp3 Born on May 5, 1924 in Cut Knife, Sask. Discusses early life, jobs, education, both before and after his naval service. Enlisted in the Navy at H.M.C.S. Unicorn in Saskatoon where he underwent basic training. Then to Halifax and H.M.C.S. Cornwallis. Posted to Boston where twice he was a member of a crew delivering lend-lease destroyers to Britain. Appointed to H.M.C.S. Humberstone (Castle class corvette) and served in her from the fall of 1943 [sic] (actually was commissioned in 1944) until the ship was decommissioned in Victoria in 1945. Comments on acoustic torpedoes and defences against them. During this time moved in rank from stoker to leading engine room artificer. Describes tense engine repairs in mid Atlantic. (20:00) Fouled anti-submarine net at Saint John's harbour. Humberstone a happy ship. Did a considerable amount of boxing in the Navy (light heavyweight champion). Toured Britain as a member of the Inter-Allied Boxing Group. Sparred with Joe Lewis on one occasion. Spent four months as a member of the Canadian Shore Patrol in London. Anecdote. Enjoyed Navy social life. Comments on Shore Patrol experiences. This group was composed of eight Canadians. Fairclough, at six feet, two inches and 210 pounds, was the smallest! They were sent to London to control Canadian sailors who seemed to enjoy baiting the British Shore Patrol. (35:00) Fairclough_F_0052_02.mp3 Many Canadians enjoyed a fight, but no real animosity between members of various Allied forces. Returned to the Humberstone, volunteered for the Pacific, returned to Victoria. Shipboard life, excellent cook, who remained so as long as he was given sufficient rum. Anecdotes. (45:00) Discharged in Jan. 1946 as a leading engine room artificer. Joined the Saskatoon City Police, served for four years. Began the study of law, but in 1951 joined a student recruitment company in New York. (06:00)

An interview/narrative of Floyd A. Fairclough's experiences during World War II. Leading Engine Room Artificer Fairclough served with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve. Interview took place on July 14, 1982.

Interviewer: Bell, Chris

Interviewee: Fairclough, Floyd A., b. 1924

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Bell, Chris
• Fairclough, Floyd A., b. 1924

Subject

• Canada. Royal Canadian Navy
• Military history
• World War (1939-1945)
• Armed Forces--Shore patrol
• Seafaring life
• Submarine warfare

Language

• eng

Keyword

• Corvettes (Warships)
• Canada--Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve--Sea life
• Boxing
• World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
• Canada--Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
• Anti-submarine warfare--Equipment and supplies
• Submarine warfare
• Humberstone (Corvette)
• Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--H.M.C.S. Unicorn
• Castle Class (Corvettes)
• Canada--Royal Canadian Navy--H.M.C.S. Cornwallis
• Boxers (Sports)
• Fairclough, Floyd A., b. 1924.--Interviews
• Canada--Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve--Shore patrol

Date created

• July 14, 1982

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• Canada

Coordinates

• 60.10867, -113.64258

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 50 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• sound recordings
• interviews
• oral histories (literary genre)
• reminiscences

Archival item identifier

• FFA_052

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• May 29, 2007

Technical note

• 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

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/sd66-xb41

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Visibility	Actions
	SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail		Public	Press to Select an action Download
	Fairclough_F_0052_01.mp3		Public	Press to Select an action Download
	Fairclough_F_0052_02.mp3		Public	Press to Select an action Download