Tedlie, A. James: my Army recollections (November 9, 2005)
Interviewer: Weatherbe, Steve
Interviewee: Tedlie, A. James
ABSTRACT: James Tedlie Side 1 Tedlie enlists in 1939 in Duke of York Hussars, for cavalry, 1940 joins Royal Montreal Regt as officer cadet, low opinion of Canadian preparedness, buys own equipment, not enough trained people. His regiment becomes reconnaissance then turned into tank regiment before D-Day, given seven weeks training Shermans on tank fundamentals only. Makeup of an armoured division. The way tanks supposed to be fought was not the way they were, in infantry support piecemeal. Operation Totalize, massed confusion. Canadian High Command not knowing how to fight armoured. Discusses training in England. Ways to counter German tanks. How quality of leadership improved through the war. On the Canadian army's performance in Normandy. Reasons for Fourth Armoured Div lapses: loss of Booth, firing of Kitching.. Strengths of Canadian soldier. Canadians as good as any Allied force under circumstances. British Columbia Regiment disaster at Hill 140. German tanks better. Use of Going Maps. BCR issued 17 pounder guns. Side 2 Too much planning and too little. How leadership improved as war progressed, Bob Moncel's leadership, on the lack of trained replacements, on learning as you went along. On the Falaise pocket and closing the gap. How Chris Vokes saved Kurt Meyer's life. On the practicality of tanks today and superiority of German tactics. Tape 1, Side 1 000 - training in Canada. 100 - reinforcing the BCR after Hill 140 200 - armoured tactics, Totalize 264 - Hill 140 283 - night fighting, Bergen op Zoom 306 - Austin McBride and German tanks 329 - Going maps 336 - counter tactics 378 - Brian Horrocks, 17-pounder Side 2 001 - Poor leadership got better 031 - Brian Horrocks' leadership 040 - Polish guinea pigging 081 - speculative shooting 092 - artillery use, infantry support role 144 - what to do when tank hit. 154 - reconnaissance role 165 - Canadian tank tactics assessed 206 - Kurt Meyer saved by Gen. Chris Vokes 223 - mobile warfare, night fights 260 - Inutility of tanks in 21st century 272 - German success assessed 293 - What to do if tank hit 297 - Canadian generalship improving. Harry Foster, Chris Vokes, Geo. Kitching, Bob Moncel all good 343 - Shortage of replacements 361 - Lessons learned from NW Europe 402 - Quality of Canada's NATO tank force Tape 2, Side 1 000 - On Canadian failure to close Falaise Pocket 031 - Quality of Canadian soldier, army in NW Europe
An interview/narrative of James Tedlie's experiences during World War II. Interview took place on November 9, 2005.
- In Collection:
- 3 sound recordings (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 45.50884, -73.58781
- Original sound recording on audio cassette also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- TAJ_539
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- August 17, 2012
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2012. 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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