Theriault, Betsy: my Cold War experiences (March 6, 2015)
PublicAn interview/narrative of Betsy Theriault's experiences during the Cold War. Interview took place on March 6, 2015.
Interviewer: Glover, Alexie
ABSTRACT: Military Oral History Program Interview Summary Narrator: Thériault, Betsy, 1932- Title: The Value of Oral History: Investigating the History of Canadian Cold War Military Families Interviewer: Interviewed by Alexie Glover Extent: 1 sound recording (MP3) 1:07:22, 64.7MB Interview Date and Location: 6th March 2015, Victoria B.C. Synopsis: A biographical interview with Betsy Thériault. The interview begins with a discussion of her childhood in New Zealand, including her family’s heritage, and early education. She moved to Europe in 1955 and began working at RCAF Base Hospital in Grostenquin, France, where she met her husband (General Gérard Thériault, eventual Chief of Defence Staff for Canada). She discusses job as a midwife at the Base Hospital. She briefly mentions a mid-air collision that occurred on the base in 1955. She continues to describe her close call with paralytic poliovirus in Spain. She discusses her various moves to various military bases in Canada and Germany with her two adopted sons. She describes her responsibilities as the wife of a high-ranking military official—including hosting parties for various diplomats. She discusses the expectations of military wives, the experiences of raising children and attempting to maintain a career while living a military life. At the end of the interview she discusses her opinion on the conservative political nature of the Canadian military as well as the overall importance of military institutions in Canada. Suggested Clips for Archive: 6:40 – the need for midwives at Canadian Base Hospitals 8:55 – recollection of the mid-air collision at Grostenquin, France 10:07 – honeymoon in Spain and encounter with paralytic poliovirus 13:45 – disdain for the term ‘dependent wives’ 27:00 – husband’s promotion to 4 Star General 28:50 – anecdote of leaving Montreal for Northern Quebec Subject Keywords: Military dependent, military wife, Grostenquin, France, Royal Canadian Air Force, nurse, midwife, base demographics, immigration, having children, diplomats, 4 Star General, Chief of Defense Staff, politics
Interviewee: Theriault, Betsy, 1932-
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- 45.50884, -73.58781
- 51.5, 10.5
- Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- TB_821
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- March 6, 2015
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 128 kbps. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2015. 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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Theriault_B_821_01.mp3 | Public |
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