James Francis "Stocky" Edwards

"Eddie" Edwards

RAF & RCAF  W/C  -  DFC & Bar, DFM, CD & 2 Bars, MiD

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   "Eddie", as he was known during World War II, was born in Nokomis, Saskatchewan in June of 1921. He attended school in Battleford like another well known Canadian WW2 Ace, "Buck" McNair. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in October of 1940 and completed flight training in early 1941 as a Sergeant Pilot. By July he found himself at No. 55 OTU near Newcastle in the North of England undergoing fighter pilot training.

   In January 1940 Eddie was posted to 94 Squadron in Egypt as a Flight Sergeant. The squadron was working up on Kittyhawks and became operational in March. On his first operational mission, escorting Boston's to the well defended Martuba airfield, Eddie made his mark with the destruction of a Bf 109F of Jagdgeschwader 27. 233 Wing Commander Beresford dubbed Eddie the "Hawk of Martuba" shortly afterwards in recognition of his quick reflexes, flying abilities and shooting instincts. It was only the beginning and Eddie's score continued to mount over the coming months.

   By May, 94 Squadron had suffered heavy losses and was withdrawn from front line activity. F/Sgt Edwards was posted to 260 Squadron. On his first mission with 260 he damaged an Me 109 and on his second mission he destroyed another. On paper Edwards was promoted to Warrant Officer in July and to Pilot Officer in August. In practice he went directly from the rank of Flight Sergeant to that of Flying Officer in December and he had already led the squadron on several occasions even though he was only an NCO.

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Kittys in Africa 1942
260 Squadron Kittyhawks await 500 lb bombs in the Western Desert, November 1942  -  Edwards Photo

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   Like promotions, decorations were a little slow catching up with Eddie but they finally did. On January 31, 1943 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal and then the Distinguished Flying Cross four days later. He had already been the Desert Air Force's top scoring pilot for a period prior to this and his score by the end of January was 11 destroyed, 8 probably destroyed and 5 damaged in the air with several more on the ground. F/O Edwards and 260 Squadron soldiered on until the end of the campaign in North Africa in May 1943. He was the top scoring pilot of the unit.

   After being rested as a gunnery instructor with 203 Group at El Ballah, Edwards was promoted to Squadron Leader and joined 417 Squadron in Italy in November flying Spitfire Mk VIIIs. He was transferred to 92 Squadron in December as a flight commander also flying the Spitfire VIII. Eddie continued to add to his score with this unit in early 1944. By March he was posted to take command of 274 Squadron in England which was just re-equipping Spitfire Mk. IXs. Operations began in May and included patrols over the Normandy beaches and bomber escorts. In August the unit began conversion to Tempests for "anti-diver" (V1) sorties. Shortly afterwards, Squadron Leader Edward's second tour ended and he returned to Canada on leave.

   Eddie was awarded the Bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross in October. After a few brief postings, he returned overseas in March 1945 becoming the Wing Commander Flying of 127 Wing. He managed to make three more claims before the war ended in Europe and he returned to Canada in August. His final tally at the end of World War II was 15 and 3 shared destroyed, 8 and 1 shared probably destroyed, 13 damaged, 9 destroyed on the ground and 3 damaged on the ground. He was the third highest scoring pilot of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

   James Edwards remained with the R.C.A.F. after World War II. It was also post war that an earlier nickname of "Stocky" became more commonly used. He reverted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant and commanded RCAF Centralia until March 1947. After a tour flying Vampires, he was promoted to Squadron Leader in late 1948. He served with a Search and Rescue unit in 1949 and at a recruiting center in 1950-51. In November 1951, he formed and commanded 430 Squadron which was the first Canadian unit to be equipped with F-86 Sabres. In October 1952 he was promoted to Wing Commander and led 2 RCAF Wing (Sabres) to France. W/C Edwards attended staff college in September 1955 and then he served at the USAF Air Defence HQ in Colorado Springs for four years. When Stocky returned to Canada in 1959 he went on a conversion course for the CF-100 "Canuck" All-Weather Fighter. In September 1962, he became Deputy Operations Officer of the 41st Air Division then in July 1966 he returned to Colorado Springs as a Plans Officer with NORAD. Under the Canadian Forces unification program, the Wing Commander became Lieutenant-Colonel Edwards and his final posting was as the OC Canadian Forces Station Badly Hughes. He retired in 1972 and took up residence in British Columbia.

   The autobiography Kittyhawk Pilot: Wing Cdr. J.F. (Stocky) Edwards was written in collaboration with J.P.A. Michel Lavigne and is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in learning more about Stocky's wartime experiences or the desert air war in general.

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Born in Nokomis, Saskatchewan, 5 June 1941.
Enlisted in Saskatoon, 24 October 1940.
Trained at No.2 ITS (graduated 24 January 1941),
No.16 EFTS (graduated 29 March 1941), and
No.11 SFTS (graduated 25 June 1941 as a Sergeant).

At No.1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, 5-30 July 1941; at
No.3 PRC, Bournemouth, 31 August 1941; to
No.55 OTU, 8 September 1941; to
Middle East Pool, 10 November 1941; to
No.216 Squadron, 16 January 1942; to
No.94 Squadron, 19 January 1942; to
No.260 Squadron, 11 April 1942; to
No.203 Group, 12 June 1943; to
No.417 Squadron, 20 November 1943; to
No.92 Squadron, 19 December 1943; to
No.274 Squadron, 6 March 1944;
E mbarked from Italy, 10 April 1944,
Arriving in Britain on 23 April 1944 (still with 274 Sq.)
Posted to Canada, 30 August 1944 for staff duties until
R eturned to Britain 18 March 1945.
Posted as W/C (Flying), No.127 Wing, 6 April '45
No.126 Wing, 7 July 1945;
Repatriated to Canada on 2 September 1945.
Remained in postwar RCAF, reverting to
Flight Lieutenant in October 1946 but promoted to
Squadron Leader on 1 January 1949 and
Wing Commander on 1 June 1952;
Retired 1972.

RANKS / DATES -

Promoted to Flight Sergeant, 1 January 1942; to
Warrant Officer (2nd Class), 4 July 1942 and
Warrant Officer (1st Class), 1 August 1942.
Commissioned 10 August 1942; promoted to
Flying Officer with simultaneous promotion to
Flight Lieutenant, 21 December 1942; to
Squadron Leader, 6 March 1944; to
Wing Commander, 6 April 1945.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Edwards with this Spit

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Stocky's Spitfire Wing near Hamburg
1945 - W/C Edwards (front & center) & Company, about to take off from an airfield near Hamburg Germany

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Edwards: The Hawk Against The Eagles
Eddie's first confirmed kill

   "Stocky" Edwards got his first confirmed destroyed while serving on 260 Squadron during his second sortie with them. The Kittyhawks and Tomahawks of 233 Wing normally flew bomber escort missions, or flew armed with light bombs themselves, in support of the 8th Army. However, this sortie would be quite different for the unit. Lavigne and Edwards describes the mission in the autobiography Kittyhawk Pilot as follows:

   "In an unusual mission the large formation of Kittyhawks and Tomahawks of 233 Wing sent on an offensive sweep over Bir Hacheim that morning provided no escort to bombers, nor were they ordered to strafe ground targets. Their task was paramount; they were to "seek and destroy". Ten Kittys from 260 Squadron were joined by six more from 2 SAAF. Tommys joined the mission from 4 and 5 SAAF Squadrons and no less than thirty-six P-40's took off to take care of any enemy aircraft they could find in the area.

   On his twenty-third operational sortie of the war piloting Kittyhawk HS M, Eddie was sure the 109's would respond to the challenge. He was sure they would find the enemy above and ready to pounce. He was right.

   Once the Allied formation was over enemy territory, a flock of 109's and 202's took action. Striking from high above, they pulled quickly and steeply after each attack. As in other battles, tension rose, but this time, the boys from 233 Wing concentrated on better defense, protecting each other from enemy fire. Only one Tomahawk was lost when its pilot was forced to bail out after his controls were blown away by cannon fire. Although the South African pilots weren't able to claim any kills, they eventually damaged five Messerschmitts and one Macchi.

   As Edwards flew top cover in his Kittyhawk I, 109's attacked from astern. Committing themselves to their attack pattern, the 109 pilots dared to come face to face with their Kittyhawk opponents before pulling skyward to repeat their routine. Eddie watched two of the Jagdfliegern come, as anticipated, from behind the formation and start the expected dive. Eddie heard his leader call the turnabout and together they changed direction. The lead Messerschmitt pulled up steeply at the unexpected move but his follower pursued the course just a little too long on Eddie's side. Quickly, the Canadian fired in front of him as far as he could. Within seconds, the well-aimed burst hit the spinner and propeller of the 109 almost head on and Eddie watched as fragments splintered from the enemy aircraft right under the formation. Trailing clouds of black smoke, it fell toward the earth. Eddie and many of his comrades saw the plane blow to bits on the ground. The 109 had landed on a mine; the pilot was killed instantly.

   Eddie's hit had taken down an Me.109 flown by Feldwebel Johann Walchhofer, an NCO pilot of 6 Staffel, II Gruppe, JG-27 who, on 3 April had claimed victories over aircraft flown by PO Moon and Sgt. Musker of 94 Squadron. The German had four confirmed victories to his credit at the time of his death."

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FW-190 JFE 933849
1945. Just one of the benifits of rank. Eddie's "own" 190, JFE 933849

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Victories Include :

2 March 1942,        one Bf.109 destroyed (Kittyhawk AK-K);
23 March 1942,      one Bf.109 destroyed, Martuba airfield (Kittyhawk FZ-F)
30 May 1942,          one Bf.109 damaged (Kittyhawk HS-O);
8 June 1942,            one Bf.109 destroyed, Bir Hacheim area;
14 June 1942,          one Bf.109 probably destroyed and
                               -
one Bf.109 damaged (Acroma area);
17 June 1942,          one Bf.109 probably destroyed near El Daba;
26 June 1942,          one Bf.109 probably destroyed;
6 July 1942,             one Bf.109 probably destroyed and
                               - one Bf.109 damaged (Kittyhawk ET623, "E");
4 August 1942,         one Bf.109 probably destroyed (Kittyhawk AL140);
3 September 1942,   one Bf.109 damaged (Kittyhawk FL233);
6 September 1942,   one Bf.109 probably destroyed (FL233);
15 September 1942, one Bf.109 probably destroyed (FL238);
21 October 1942,     one MC.202 destroyed (FL322 ? that could be 233);
22 October 1942,     one Bf.109 destroyed (FL233);
26 October 1942,     one Bf.109 probably destroyed (FL221);
28 October 1942,     one Bf.109 destroyed and
                               - one probably destroyed (FL221);
1 November 1942    one Bf.109 destroyed (FL305);
16 December 1942, one Bf.109 damaged;
30 December 1942, 1.5 Bf.109s destroyed - (Kittyhawk FR350);
2 January 1943,      one Bf.109 destroyed (FR350);
29 March 1943,      two FW.190s damaged (FR436);
8 April 1943,           one Bf.109 probably destroyed, Sfax area (FR446) -
                              - one FW.190 damaged (FR436)
15 April 1943,         two Bf.109s destroyed and
                              - one damaged (FR436);
22 April 1943,         1/3 Me.323 destroyed (Gulf of Tunis, FR436)
11 January 1944,    one Bf.109 damaged, Foggia area (Spitfire QJ-F);
16 February 1944,  one FW.190 destroyed, Anzio (QJ-F);
19 February 1944,  two FW.190s destroyed and
                              - one damaged, Anzio (QJ-F);
29 April 1945,         one FW.190 damaged plus
                              - one Me.262 damaged (Spitfire JF-E);
3 May 1945,           1/4 Ju.88 destroyed (JF-E).

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On The Ground :

November 5, 1942

November 11, 1942
November 13, 1942
November 14, 1942
November 15, 1942   
January 25, 1943

1 Me 110
1 Me 109
2 JU 88's
2 Me 109's
2 Me 109's
3 Me 109's
2 MC 202's  
1 SM 79

destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
damaged
destroyed   

&
Fuka Airfield, Egypt (FL305)
Gambut Airfield, Libya (FL305)
Gazala Airfield, Libya (FL315)
Marawa Airfield, Libya (FL305)
Marawa Airfield, Libya (FL305)
&
Medenine West, Tunisia (FR350)

According to Eddie's book his total destruction of aircraft was :

20 planes shot down
6.5 probables
16 damaged
12 destroyed On The Ground
  2  damaged On The Ground

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Sgt Pilot Edwards
Sgt Pilot Edwards

Jet-Jock Wing Commander
Jet-Jock Wing Commander

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Photographs at the National Archives include the following:

PL-10237 (as a Flight Lieutenant in North Africa)
PL-27285 (wearing ribbons of DFC and DFM);
PL-43098 (portrait, 1945);
PL-55325 (in flying gear, 1952);
PL-128650 (portrait, October 1960).

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Thanks to Rick Rutherford and
On
these pages I use info from the Air force Association of Canada's web site
in Hugh Halliday's excellent Honors & Awards section
,
Newspaper articles via the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC)
as well as other sources both published and private

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--- Canadian Aces ---

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