Nanaimo, British Columbia
Mr. Ted Brothers served during the Second World War in a Commonwealth Prison in Alberta guarding German prisoners from 1944-45. He maintained memberships in the Royal Canadian Legion, Shriners, the Canadian Scottish Regiment and United Service Institute of Nanaimo and North Island. After Mr. Brothers retired in the 1980s, he undertook the initiative to display military artifacts in a local mall. This small beginning grew to a 3,000 square foot military museum incorporated in 1986. The Vancouver Island Military Museum currently houses more than 35,000 items with more than $1,000,000 in assets. Since its founding, Mr. Brothers served as the Museum's President. Under Mr. Brother's direction and guidance, the Museum provided Veterans and their families with a wealth of information to help research military personnel records, military grave sites, unit histories, and obtain information about medals and Veterans Affairs Canada benefits. Mr. Brothers formed and served as the chairman of the "Remember Collishaw Committee," which was created to preserve the memory of First World War Ace pilot, Raymond Collishaw. The Committee successfully lobbied the Government and raised $20,000 to rename the Nanaimo Air Terminal as the Nanaimo-Collishaw Terminal, which includes a display of Raymond Collishaw's 26 medals of honour.