EDWARDS, FS (now
P/O) James Francis (R75188/J16077) - DFM
- No.260 Squadron
Award effective 25 January 1943 as per London Gazette dated
9 February 1943 and
AFRO 373/43 dated 5 March 1943.
Flight
Sergeant Edwards is an extremely capable soldier and a superbly
gallant fighter pilot. Since October 1942, he has destroyed
six enemy aircraft while participating in numerous sorties over
enemy territory. He has displayed outstanding coolness and courage
in the face of opposition while his cheerful and imperturbable
spirit has been an inspiration to the squadron.
___________________________________________________________
EDWARDS,
F/L James Francis, DFM (J16077) - Distinguished Flying
Cross - No.260 Sq.
Award effective 3 February 1943 as per London Gazette dated
16 February 1943 and
AFRO 410/43 dated 12 March 1943.
In
December 1942, Flight Lieutenant Edwards was commander of a
formation engaged in patrol duties over our forward troops.
During the flight ten enemy aircraft were encountered and Flight
Lieutenant Edwards destroyed one of five which were shot down.
Two days later he destroyed another hostile aircraft bringing
his total victories to eight. This officer has invariably displayed
outstanding gallantry and devotion to duty.
___________________________________________________
Prairie Pilot In Desert Famed As Deadly Gunner;
Wins Flying Cross At 21
Edwards of Battleford Has Eight Enemy Planes
and Five Probables to His Credit
Written for the Canadian Press By FLT.
LT. K. MacGILLIVRAY
Cairo, April 8, 1943 — So far as being a veritable
genius in aerial gunnery is concerned, the western desert seems
likely to produce another Beurling
in Flt. Lt. James Francis Edwards of Battleford, Sask., who
combines an excellent operational record with the same degree
of disarming modesty which marks the Malta ace.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal Jan. 25 this year,
and the Distinguished Flying Cross Feb. 3.
The slight, tawny-haired RCAF officer, only 21 years of age,
has to his credit a total of eight enemy aircraft shot down,
five probably destroyed and others damaged, since he went on
operations in the Middle East last March.
Beurling, now back in Canada, became the "hero of Malta"
last year with a score of 29 planes destroyed. Flying in the
most hazardous type of operations on the desert front —
dive-bombing, strafing and offensive patrols far behind the
enemy lines — the unassuming prairie lad has acquired
a reputation for accurate gunnery that has spread beyond his
own squadron, and is discussed with admiration in canvas crewrooms
and messes far across the sandy wastes. "He's a master
of deflection-shooting," a Canadian member of a rival squadron
said the other day.
When he reached the Middle East it didn't take him long to "get
cracking." He hit his peak in the autumn, getting three
"destroyed" and one "probable" during a
single week in November, when Montgomery's "big push"
was gathering momentum.
A few weeks earlier he got a "destroyed" and a "probable"
when his formation was attacked by eight Me-109's.
His accuracy is not confined to gunnery. Nov. 11 he dive-bombed
an enemy airdrome and dropped one "egg" squarely between
two Junkers 88's — one of the Germans' most powerful and
versatile aircraft — destroying them both.
He celebrated the new year with a scrap near Bir Dufan when
a formation of fighters caught a strong force of 109's taking
off from their field. Edwards got one. Five more swarmed after
him but he shook off all but one which kept up the chase for
a full half-hour, taking advantage of the fact Edwards' guns
were useless by then. The Hun damaged the Saskatchewan lad's
aircraft but he made base safely.
About the same date he played a leading role in a dog-fight
near Buerat when seven fighters intercepted 10 Me-109's which
were dive-bombing our troops. The squadron shot down five and
damaged another without loss. Edwards got one of the five destroyed.
Reticent though he is about his own record and achievements,
the young Battleford flight commander minces no words when he
discussed the RAF's part in the desert warfare.
"The RAF saved Alexandria last year," he said. "For
a whole week they held up the panzers, until the immediate danger
was over.
___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
AIR VICE-MARSHAL SEES CANADIANS IN AFRICA
By LOUIS V. HUNTER - May 19,1943 - (CP) —
Like an assiduous newspaper man just back from an assignment,
Air Vice-Marshal W. A. Curtis of Toronto, deputy air officer commanding-in-chief,
of the Royal Canadian Air Force Overseas, returned to London after
a three-week tour of the North African front with a long list
of names of Canadian airmen he had met.
He told a press conference it was almost impossible to set foot
on a North African airfield without coming face to face with a
Canadian. "We bumped into Canadians practically everywhere
we went," he said, remarking that although he was under the
impression Western Canada produced more sailors than anything
else, at least 60 per cent of the fliers he met came from Winnipeg
or elsewhere in the West.
He met Flt. Lt. J. F. Edwards, D.F.C., D.F.M., of North Battleford.
Sask., whose score of 10 1/2 enemy aircraft destroyed ranked him
as successor to FO. George Frederick Beurling,
D.S.O., D.F.C., D.F.M. and Bar, of Verdun, Que., as Canadian ace
in the Middle East.
Edwards' Good Record
He described Edwards as a "grand little fellow with a broad
smile," and said his score was all the more creditable because
he had piled it up in a Kittyhawk, a slower machine than the Messerschmitts
he was up against.
The Air Vice-Marshal spent a night with the Spitfire squadron
commanded by Sqdn. Ldr. Brad Foster of Montreal. The unit, the
only R.C.A.F. fighter outfit in the Middle East, had been near
the front line, behind the 1st Army, for only 10 days, but nevertheless
was doing a "good job."
The squadron, complete with Canadian ground staff, lived in tents,
and the ingenious Canadians had rigged up a perfect night landing
system, using a lot of German wire they had picked up. The squadron
was engaged mostly on patrol work, and often made three and four
sorties a day.
Air Vice-Marshal Curtis brought back a story about Flt. Lt. J.
A. Nixon of Toronto, a radio officer. The young officer didn't
let bombs or bullets interfere with his work of setting up stations
close to the front.
"He was machine-gunned 21 times and bombed twice," the
AVM said. An R.A.F. intelligence officer in a tent near Nixon
was blown out of it and landed at the foot of a near-by hill,
uninjured.
The work of Canadian wireless operator-air gunners drew praise
from an American major in charge of a squadron of Mitchell bombers.
A group of Canadians were borrowed by the Americans.
Canadians Efficient
"The major stopped me to thank me for the loan of the Canadians,
who were manning radio equipment. He was just bubbling over with
enthusiasm about them."
______________________________________________________
CANADA'S AIRMEN ADD POWER TO BRITAIN'S DESERT
FORCES
Estimate 2,000 Dominion Flyers and Aircrew With R.A.F.
SPLENDID RECORDS
London, July 7, 1943 — (CP) — Wherever
British fighters fought and bombers bombed in North Africa, there
were Canadians there as members of Royal Air Force crew.
Total Reaches 2000
Into the two massive aerial arms Britain conceived to crush the
Axis —the Western Desert and the Northwest Africa Air Forces—the
Dominion poured her aviators in liberal supply. Official figures
place their number in the vicinity of 2,000.
Only one R.C.A.F. fighter squadron operated as an entity, but
few R.A.F. squadrons were without Canadian representation and
in some fighter squadrons as high as six of the 12 operational
pilots were Canadian.
In the air, Dominion crewmen fought from El Alamein to Tunis.
From their ranks emerged Sqdn. Ldrs. Jimmy Walker,
24-year-old Edmonton bank clerk, and George Hill
from Pictou, N.S., two youngsters who learned to fly in the Commonwealth
Air Training scheme and now hold the D.F.C. and bar.
Build Fine Scores
Walker went to Africa with two planes to his credit, shot down
8½ more. Hill had 9½ when Africa fell.
A 26-year-old Listowel, Ont. athlete who went to Britain in peacetime
to play hockey and who fought in the Africa campaign was Wing
Cmdr. J. R. Thompson, of a Boston bomber squadron.
Supporting the 8th Army, the one R.C.A.F. squadron to see action
was the City of Windsor squadron under Sqdn. Ldr. F. B. Foster,
of Montreal, which finished the campaign in a crack, front-line
fighter wing.
In this Western Desert force, too, were Flight-Lieut. James
Francis Edwards, D.F.C., D.F.M., North Battleford, Sask.,
who ran his score of destroyed aircraft to ten and flight-Lieut.
William Lawrence (Red) Chisholm, D.F.C.,
of Kentville, N.S., who has eight.
Downs German Ace
In their wake came many another exploit. Flight-Sgt. Michael Askey,
of Winnipeg, son of an army padre, ran wild one day and shot down
three Italian Macchis. F.O. Frank Regan, of Vancouver, shot down
the German ace, Kurt Helmann.
Canadians in this Western Desert force, exclusive of those in
the R.A.F. proper, won 36 D.F.C.s and five Bars and 21 D.F.M.s.
At the climax of the fight, about 1,000 Canadians were in the
air and 600 were serving in ground crews or on technical or administrative
work.
R.C.A.F. officials in London, without comparative figures for
the northwest force, estimated that the air crew number would
approximate 1,000, but said the ground crew force would be considerably
lower than 600.
Toll Not Checked
Across the thousands of desert miles, the "Erks" labored
at their obscure tasks, at times within artillery range of the
Germans, maintaining aircraft that might be flown by Scot, Rhodesian,
Canadian or South African.
To a former Mounted Policeman, Flt.-Lieut. G. W. Slee, was entrusted
maintenance of wireless communication in the Tunisian theatre
of operations. He enlisted at Winnipeg.
R.C.A.F. wireless air gunners turned up in American and South
African air force bombers.
The toll Canada paid has not been finally computed, but 132 were
reported killed and missing in the Western Desert group and the
figure in the Northwest Africa group would probably coincide roughly.
______________________________________________________
Son Of Padre In Army Gets Three Italian Planes
In One Day In N. Africa
Canucks Win 36 D.F.C.s and Five Bars and 21 D.F.M.s
- About 260 Killed and Missing
London, July 7, 1943 — Wherever British
fighters fought and bombers bombed in North Africa, there were
Canadians there as members of Royal Air Force crew.
Into the two massive aerial arms Britain conceived to crush the
Axis — the western desert and the Northwest Africa air forces
— the Dominion poured her aviators in liberal supply. Official
figures place their number in the vicinity of 2,000.
The toll Canada paid has not been finally computed, but 132 were
reported killed and missing in the western desert force and the
figure in the Northwest Africa group again would probably coincide
roughly.
Only one RCAF fighter squadron operated as an entity but few RAF
squadrons were without Canadian representation and in some fighter
squadrons as high as six of the 12 operational pilots were Canadian
In the air, Dominion crew members fought from El Alamein to Tunis.
They scourged the retreating enemy, bombed his bases, joined battle
with his bases, carried the war out to sea and harassed his shipping.
They flew the Spitfire, Wellington, Boston, Whitley, Mitchell
and Hudson.
From their ranks emerged the inevitable greats, two of them to
mature into leaders of RAF Spitfire squadrons in the Tunisian
fighting.
These were Sqdn. Ldrs. Jimmie Walker,
24-year-old Edmonton bank clerk, and George Hill,
from Pictou, N.S., two youngsters who learned how to fly in the
Commonwealth Air Training Scheme and now hold the D.F.C. &
Bar.
Walker went to Africa with two planes to his credit & shot
down 8½ more. Hill had 9½ when Africa fell.
HOCKEYIST STARS
A 26-year-old Listowel athlete who went to Britain in peacetime
to play hockey fought the campaign as Wing Cmdr. J. H. Thompson
of a Boston bomber squadron.
Supporting the 8th Army, the one RCAF squadron to see action was
the City of Windsor squadron under Sqdn. Ldr. F. B. Foster, of
Montreal, which finished the campaign in a crack, front-line fighter
wing.
In this western desert force, too, were Flt. Lt. James
Francis Edwards, D.F.C., D.F.M., of North Battleford,
who ran his score of destroyed aircraft to ten, and Flt. Lt. William
Lawrence "Red" Chisholm,
D.F.C., of Kentville, N.S., who has eight.
GOT THREE IN DAY
In their wake came many another exploit. Flt-Sgt. Michael Askey,
of Winnipeg, son of an army padre, ran wild one day and shot down
three Italian Macchis. F.O. Frank Regain, of Vancouver, destroyed
the German ace, Kurt Helmann.
Canadians in this western desert force, exclusive of those in
the RAF proper, won 36 D.F.C.s, five Bars and 21 D.F.M.S. At the
climax of the fight, about 1,000 Canadians were in the air.
Across the thousands of desert miles, the "Erks" labored
at their obscure tasks, at times within artillery range of the
Germans, maintaining aircraft that might be flown by Scot, Rhodesian,
Canadian or South African.
To a one-time mounted policeman, Flt. Lt. G. W. Slee, was entrusted
maintenance of wireless communication in the Tunisian theatre
of operations. He enlisted at Winnipeg.
RCAF wireless air gunners turned up in U.S. and South African
Air Force bombers.
______________________________________________________
Germans Fought to Standstill In Second Major
Bid to
Drive Allied Invaders Into the Sea
Enemy's Full Striking Force Is Hurled Against British Sector Without
Effect as Tremendous Aerial Action Continues
Allied headquarters, Naples, Feb. 17, 1944 –
(BUP) – A massive battle of infantry, planes and tanks swirled
over the Anzio beachhead today, and official reports indicated
the Germans were being fought to a standstill in their second
major attempt to drive the Allied invaders into the sea. Putting
an end to the three day lull that followed the collapse of their
first counter-offensive last week, the Germans hurled their full
striking force against a narrow sector on the British-held northern
flank of the beachhead yesterday morning. Under cover of a terrific
rolling barrage laid down by their massed artillery and fighter-bombers,
waves of Nazi troops charges against the British positions astride
the Aprilia-Anzio highway.
British Lines Holding
Big German tanks lunged in behind the infantry, probing for a
weak spot in the Allied lines, and came to grips with British
armored forces.
Hundreds of Allied fighters and fighter-bombers streamed into
the battle, tangling with the low-flying enemy planes and ripping
up the charging German troops with bombs and gunfire.
Front reports said the enemy offensive was met everywhere by determined
resistance and it was indicated that the British lines were holding
fast.
The German attacks continued throughout the day and all last night,
however, and at daybreak this morning they were increasing in
fury as the Nazis fought fanatically to achieve a break-through.
(The German high command tacitly acknowledged that its offensive
had not yet succeeded in breaking the Allied lines. The Nazi communiqué
this morning reported that British troops and tanks counter-attacked
in the Aprilia sector, and made no references to German gains.)
On Narrow Sector
The full fury of the German assault again centered on a narrow
sector of the beachhead in the Aprilia area, where the Nazis opened
their first large-scale offensive last week in an effort to break
out their armored forces onto the main highway leading to Anzio
and the sea.
The first enemy offensive collapsed Saturday after five days of
furious fighting, and Gen. Sir Harold R. L. Alexander declared
confidently that the beachhead would be held.
In the intervening three days, however, the Germans were believed
to have reinforced their wearied divisions and it appeared that
the new offensive was on an even greater scale than their first
drive.
Clear weather this time favored the Allies, however, and reports
from the battle area said hundreds of British, Dominion and American
planes were raking the charging Nazi columns with gunfire and
ripping up their supporting lines of communication all the way
back to Rome.
Widespread Air Attacks
Dive-bombers attacked the Ostiense and Tiburtina railway yards
in Rome yesterday for the second straight day, while medium bombers
and fighter-bombers sprayed high explosives and fragmentation
bombs over the entire beachhead area.
The Allied bombing attack concentrated on Campo Leone, key rail
and road point through which the Germans were reported moving
men and tanks into the battle lines.
Heavy bombers joined in the thunderous aerial assault, blasting
at railway bridges and marshaling Yards at Ancona, Cecina and
many points in the Florence area
Other medium raiders hammered similar targets at Orte, Orvieto,
AIbinia and Perugia, and R.A.F. Wellingtons followed through with
an attack on the west coast seaport of Stefano.
The Allied air fleets flew more than 1,200 sorties throughout
the day and night at a cost of four planes. The Luftwaffe flew
some 130 sorties over the Anzio beachhead in support of the Nazi
ground offensive, and the Allied communiqué said nine enemy
planes were shot down. Of the nine shot down, five fell to Spitfire
pilots including three destroyed by Canadian pilots. Flight-Lieut.
James Francis Edwards, of North Battleford, Saskatchewan,
who holds the D.F.C. and D.F.M., shot down his first plane during
his second operational tour of duty.
Edwards served one operational tour in the desert campaign. He
scored 10 and a half destroyed planes there. Yesterday's raised
his score to 11½. He was widely known for his long range
accuracy. Yesterday was no exception. He destroyed a FW. 190 at
the extreme range of 500 yards.
The other Canadians who destroyed planes were Flying Officer B.
J. Ingalls, of Sayabec, Quebec, and
Warrant Officer W. Downer, of Midland,
Ont., each of whom destroyed an FW. 190.
Allied airpower also blanketed the main 5th Army front around
Cassino, where the Germans launched a small-scale diversionary
attack to coincide with their main offensive against the beachhead.
Bombers returned to attack the ruins of the 1,415-year-old Benedictine
monastery on Mount Cassino yesterday, piling new wreckage about
the heads of Nazi gunners entrenched behind the massive walls
of the abbey.
______________________________________________________
EDWARDS,
S/L James Francis, DFC, DFM (J16077) - Bar to DFC
- No.274 Squadron
Award effective 27 October 1944 as per London Gazette of that
date and
AFRO 2637/44 dated 8 December 1944.
This
officer has successfully completed a very large number of operational
flights and has destroyed thirteen enemy aircraft. He is a keen
and courageous pilot whose example and leadership have been most
inspiring.
__________________________________________________
EDWARDS,
W/C James Francis, DFC, DFM (J16077) - Mention in Despatches
- Overseas
Award effective 1 January 1946 as per London Gazette of that date
and
AFRO 322/46 dated 29 March 1946.
_____________________________________________________
|
