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Radio Operator

Heroes Remember

Radio Operator

Transcript
They disbanded the anti-aircraft battalion and they sent all, everybody back to a holding unit. And then we were there for maybe a month or something and took some training from, artillery training, infantry training and then we were all sent out, made a complete infantry battalion out of the two batteries from the artillery regiment. I was a radio operator. So the only thing from infantry to an artillery regiment or back to an infantry you adjust your procedure on the air that's all that’s different. But the radios and everything are all the same. At that time, we had small sets and we had big sets, the kind that you carried on your back. And most of the time that we were in headquarters company whenever we’re not in action and then everybody went back the drivers and the signallers and the tradesmen went back to the headquarters company. I was with a Sig Platoon there, and whenever they went into action, getting ready for action then they shipped them out, you could have been with, in a matter of about a month you could have been with maybe two or three different companies and most of the time I just worked with the battery commander, I mean the battery commander, there I go talking artillery again, with the company commander. And also sometimes they’d send you out to maybe one of the platoons and work with the platoon commander so you’d carry a smaller set, like a walkie-talkie. It would be the same principal there. You’re just calling ahead. So you always had to stick with them all the time, we had to have that radio right beside him when you were in action. It was a little weird sometimes you know because if you start getting shelled on, you’re hitting the ground one way and you’ve got your commander that side, you’ve got to crawl over to him to be beside him.
Description

Mr. Taylor describes his radio equipment as well as his responsibilities while in action.

Edward P. Taylor

Edward P. Taylor, the twelfth of fifteen children, was born in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario on September 9, 1923. His father managed a paper mill and was therefore unable to enlist. However Edward, very aware of the situation in Europe, enlisted in the Army in Toronto at age nineteen, two years after being rejected by the Navy because of his age. Mr. Taylor served as radio operator with the Royal 22nd Regiment in Italy and he later redeployed to Northern Europe, where he spent time with the Army of Occupation. He served as a radio operator once more during the Korean War. Choosing to remain in the armed forces, Mr. Taylor also completed two tours of duty with NATO in Germany.

Meta Data
Medium:
Video
Owner:
Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:
1:52
Person Interviewed:
Edward P. Taylor
War, Conflict or Mission:
Second World War
Branch:
Army
Units/Ship:
Royal Canadian Artillery
Occupation:
Signaller

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