Douglas, Edward and William Redford

James Redford and his brother John were early settlers to the Alberni Valley. They were farmers and owned
and operated a slaughterhouse and meat market in Alberni. James had a family of eight children and his three
oldest sons would enlist in the army together.
Edward Redford was the oldest of the three brothers. He was born on June 8th
1885 and was named after the Presbyterian reverend at the time, Edward G.
Taylor. After his 29th birthday on November 7th of 1914; he went to Victoria with his
two other brothers to sign up for the war. There Edward and his brothers joined
with the 88th Victoria Fusiliers. From there they merged with the 30th Battalion,
which was used as a reserve. They were then transferred to the 7th Battalion,
which was right on the front lines. It wasnt until
9 months after severe fighting that Edward was
James Redford and children in front of their
injured for the first time. Edward, however, was-
house on Victoria Quay. Names have been nt injured in combat. Edward and two other sol-
given for some of the chldren: Douglas, Marg
and Jen on extreme left, to left, Will and Ed; diers found an unexploded German artillery shell
The Riddell children, left to right, dot, Marg,
Nan.
and decided they were going to clean it, polish
it, and send it back home as a souvenir.
While cleaning it the shell detonated, killing
the two other men. Edward survived the
blast, but it wasnt without losing his left
arm and sustaining other injuries in his hip
and legs. Edward returned home in March,
1917. A month after his return on April
4th1917, Edward and his brother, William,
were honoured guests at an event for re-
turning soldiers in the Somass Hotel. Edward
remained in the Valley for a number of years and Back Row: Douglas Redford (Killed in Ac-
School class in front of Alberni Elementary (later Gill Elemen-
tion), William Redford. Front Row: Kenneth
tary). Back row left to right: John Howitt, Miss Swarthout on February 18th, 1982 at the age of 97.
(married Adam Thomson), Tom Grieve, Harold Bishop. 2nd Boyce and Edward Redford, 1914 .
row: Gertrude Bishop (later Mrs. MacFie), Grace Cox. 3rd
James Douglas Redford was the second oldest brother. Born on January 19th
row: Ethel Bishop, Will Redford, Norman (Norrie) Sprencer,
Roy Cox, Doug Redford, Frank Heath, Ernie Ward. 4th row:
1894, he was 20 years old when he signed up for the war with his two brothers,
Jessie Forest, Frances Heath, Dora Grieve, Edward Cox, Fred
Ward in front.
Edward and William, on November 7th. Douglas was in the 88th Victoria Fusiliers
when it merged with the 30th Battalion and was also transferred to the
front lines with his brothers in the 7th battalion. Douglas was killed during
the war. He was originally thought to be missing in action (MIA) and is
listed as such on the 1916 honour roll.

William Redford the youngest of the three brothers that enlisted. William
was born on July 12th, 1895. He was 19 years old when he enlisted for the
88th Victoria Fusiliers on November 7th with his two brothers. William was
the first one of the brothers
to come back home. He
was discharged from service
as he had sustained shrap-
nel and gunshot wounds.
When William returned in
November, 1916, he was greeted by the mayor, the council, and his
mother. He rode an automobile with his mother to the city centre for
a formal welcoming. It wasnt until March of 1917 that he was able
to see one of his brothers again, when Edward returned. William and
his brother Edward were honoured guests at the Somass Hotel on
William Redford standing in a car at E&N station on his return from war.
He was given a heros welcome at the Alberni train station. April 4th, 1917, which was an event that welcomed back returning
Port Alberni and Alberni soldiers from the war. After the war William
owned a farm that he worked on until he retired in 1953 when he was 58 years old. On August 17, 1971, William
Redford died at the age of 76.