“The Best VR in the Whole Flaming Navy”: The Life and Career of Lieutenant Commander Clifton R. “Tony” Coughlin
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25071/2561-5467.956Keywords:
Second World War, Lieutenant Commander Clifton R. “Tony” Coughlin, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, RCNVR officer training and experienceAbstract
Lieutenant Commander Clifton R. “Tony” Coughlin, DSC, was one of the most successful Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) officers of the Second World War. This article examines his life and career, drawing primarily on the 800 letters he wrote to his wife Martha Coughlin from war’s outbreak until his death in 1944. It provides insight into many of the key characters of the wartime Royal Canadian Navy, the day-to-day experience of RCNVR officers, and the character of a brilliant, and largely forgotten, leader. Coughlin was candid and observant. By the time of his death, he was well on his way to becoming, as he always hoped, “the best VR in the whole flaming navy.”
Le capitaine de corvette Clifton R. « Tony » Coughlin, D.S.C., était l’un des meilleurs officiers de la Réserve des volontaires de la Marine royale canadienne (RVMRC) de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Cet article, qui traite de sa vie et de sa carrière, s’appuie principalement sur les 800 lettres qu’il a écrites à sa femme Martha Coughlin depuis le déclenchement de la guerre jusqu’à sa mort en 1944. Il donne un aperçu de bon nombre des personnages clés de la Marine royale canadienne en temps de guerre, des expériences quotidiennes des officiers de la RVMRC et du caractère d’un chef exceptionnel en grande partie oublié. Coughlin était franc et bon observateur. Au moment de sa mort, il était sur le point de devenir, comme il l’avait toujours espéré, « le meilleur réserviste volontaire de la marine entière ».
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