The Airmen's Stories - F/Lt. E M Reyno

Edwin Michael Reyno was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on 11th May 1917 and attended St. Marys University.

He joined the RCAF on 3rd January 1938 and was serving with No. 1 (RCAF) Squadron when it arrived in the UK on 20th June 1940 (below).

L to R: F/O GG Hyde, P/O BE Christmas, F/Lt. VB Corbett, F/O EW Beardmore, F/O RL Edwards, F/Lt. EM Reyno

No. 1 RCAF Squadron

12th September 1940

(L to R) F/O WP Sprenger, F/O OJ Peterson, F/Lt. WR Pollock (adjudant), F/O PB Pitcher, S/Ldr. McNab, F/O PW Lochnan, F/Lt. EM Reyno, F/O EW Beardmore, F/O ST Blaiklock (intelligence officer) and F/O RW Norris.

Above images courtesy of Library and Archives of Canada.

Reyno was posted to 2 (RCAF) Squadron on 1st January 1941 as a Flight Commander. He returned to Canada later in the year and served at RCAF bases at Rockliffe, Ontario and Mossbank, Saskatchewan.

In 1942 he was appointed Chief Instructor at No. 1 (Fighter) OTU at Bagotville, Quebec.

He was awarded the AFC (gazetted 8th June 1944).

In 1944 Reyno was Station Commander at Greenwood, Nova Scotia and in 1946 he was appointed Senior Personnel Officer at Western Command, Vancouver.

In 1963 he was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal and made Chief of Air Staff, 4th Allied Tactical Air Force. A final promotion to Air Marshal came in July 1966, when he was appointed Chief of Personnel of the Canadian Forces. From 1969 to 1972, he was the Deputy Commander of NORAD.

He retired on 30th October 1972 as a Lieutenant General, Canadian Forces.

Reyno died on 10th February 1982.