by SONJA DRINKWATER
Special to the AV News
For the third year in a row, freelance writer and photographer Sonja Drinkwater is telling the stories of Alberni Valley veterans. But this year’s special section looks a little different.
In previous years, Sonja approached veterans and asked them to share a photo from when they served with their respective military branch. She then took a photograph of the veterans as they are now.
This year, 2021, some of the veterans featured are no longer with us, but their memories are kept alive by their families and friends. Another veteran has no photos from his military service, because the memories are far too painful.
If you know of a Port Alberni veteran who deserves to be featured in a future edition of Then & Now, please contact Sonja Drinkwater at sonjadrink@shaw.ca.
Garnet (Red) Reynolds was born on June 25, 1919 at Section 25, TP 31, Range 13, West of the Second Meridian, near Leslie, Saskatchewan. He attended school in Foam Lake, Saskatchewan along with his nine brothers and one sister. After school and prior to the Second World War Reynolds worked on the farm in Saskatchewan and as a logger in Ontario.
In 1941 he joined the Calgary Tank Regiment as a mechanic. He was present at the Dieppe Raid on Aug. 19, 1942 but, fortunately, did not land. Subsequently he served with his regiment in Sicily. Selected for officer training upon the completion of the Sicilian campaign prior to the landing in Italy, Reynolds was withdrawn from Sicily and sent to Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England where he underwent officer training until the end of the war.
Reynolds met and married his wife Mildred while training at Sandhurst.
Discharged from the army in 1946, Reynolds studied to became a chiropractor and set up his practice in Port Alberni. He was active in community activities throughout his life in Port Alberni. He was a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce when it existed, and a member and past president of the Port Alberni Rotary Club with perfect attendance for more than 40 years.
Reynolds was an active member and past president of Branch 55 Royal Canadian Legion and for many years supervised and conducted the Remembrance Day services in Port Alberni. He was a member of the Tri-Services Officer’s Association in Port Alberni, serving in various positions over the years. He was appointed to the board of the Port Alberni Harbour Commission in 1986 and served in that position until 1997.
Professionally, Reynolds sat on the board of governors for the BC Chiropractic Association, Canadian Chiropractic Association, and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. He was also active with St. Alban’s Anglican Church for many years.
Reynolds served as an alderman (now called councillor) for the City of Port Alberni from 1964-70. He was acting mayor during the tidal wave that inundated Port Alberni in 1964 and was a driving force in the amalgamation of Alberni and Port Alberni in 1967.
Reynolds was honoured with a grant of arms from the Governor General of Canada on March 26, 2002, in gratitude for his service to his country and city. He died on Jan. 28, 2003; he was 83 years old.