Hughie Edwards
OBE, DFC | |
---|---|
23rd Governor of Western Australia | |
In office 7 January 1974 – 2 April 1975 | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Premier | John Tonkin Sir Charles Court |
Preceded by | Sir Douglas Kendrew |
Succeeded by | Sir Wallace Kyle |
Personal details | |
Born | 1 August 1914 Air Commodore |
Commands | RAF Habbaniya RAF Wattisham RAF Kuala Lumpur RAF Binbrook No. 105 Squadron |
Battles/wars | Second World War
Mention in Despatches |
Born in Fremantle, Western Australia, Edwards joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1935, and a year later was granted a short service commission with the RAF. Serving throughout the Second World War, he gained a permanent commission and continued his career in the RAF after the war; he retired in 1963 with the rank of air commodore. Returning to Australia, he was appointed Governor of Western Australia in 1974.
Early life
Edwards was born in Fremantle, Western Australia, on 1 August 1914, the third of five children to Welsh parents Hugh, a blacksmith and farrier, and his wife Jane (née Watkins), who had emigrated to Australia in 1909.[2] Named after his father, he was always referred to by his middle name of Idwal in his family.[3] Edwards received his initial education at White Gum Valley School, before attending the Fremantle Boys' School where he achieved well academically, although he later claimed this was due to a good memory rather than high intelligence. However, Edwards was reluctantly forced to leave school at the age of fourteen as the family finances could no longer support him.[4][5] Described as a "shy, under-confident, introspective and imaginative lad" at this stage in his life,[4] he gained employment as a shipping office clerk.[6]
With the onset of the
Early Air Force career
In 1935, he was selected for flying training with the Royal Australian Air Force at RAAF Point Cook, after which he transferred to the RAF, being granted a short service commission as a pilot officer on 21 August 1936.[8] Posted to No. 15 Bomber Squadron, he was appointed adjutant of No. 90 Squadron in March 1937, flying Bristol Blenheim bombers. He received a promotion to flying officer on 21 May 1938.[9]
In August 1938, Edwards was piloting a Blenheim near the
Second World War
In May 1941, Edwards became commanding officer of No. 105 Squadron replacing the previous incumbent, who had been killed in an anti-shipping raid on Stavanger. At that time, the Squadron was engaged in a series of daylight operations against Germany and the occupied countries, with its principal targets being enemy shipping, power installations, shipbuilding yards, locomotives, steelworks and marshalling yards.[6] On 15 June, by now an acting wing commander, Edwards led six Blenheims on a search for enemy shipping and soon sighted a convoy of eight merchantmen anchored near The Hague. He launched an attack at low level, his bombs striking a 4,000-ton ship. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this action.[11]
On 4 July 1941, Edwards led a daylight attack ("Operation Wreckage") against the port of
The full citation for Edwards' Victoria Cross appeared in the
Air Ministry, 22nd July, 1941.
ROYAL AIR FORCE
The KING has been graciously pleased to confer the Victoria Cross on the undermentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery:—
Acting Wing Commander Hughie Idwal Edwards, D.F.C. (39005), No 105. Squadron.
Wing Commander Edwards, although handicapped by a physical disability resulting from a flying accident, has repeatedly displayed gallantry of the highest order in pressing home bombing attacks from very low heights against strongly defended objectives.
On 4th July, 1941, he led an important attack on the Port of Bremen, one of the most heavily defended towns in Germany. This attack had to be made in daylight and there were no clouds to afford concealment. During the approach to the German coast several enemy ships were sighted and Wing Commander Edwards knew that his aircraft would be reported and that the defences would be in a state of readiness. Undaunted by this misfortune he brought his formation 50 miles overland to the target, flying at a height of little more than 50 feet, passing under high-tension cables, carrying away telegraph wires and finally passing through a formidable balloon barrage. On reaching Bremen he was met with a hail of fire, all his aircraft being hit and four of them being destroyed. Nevertheless he made a most successful attack, and then with the greatest skill and coolness withdrew the surviving aircraft without further loss.
Throughout the execution of this operation which he had planned personally with full knowledge of the risks entailed, Wing Commander Edwards displayed the highest possible standard of gallantry and determination.
In July 1941, Edwards took the Squadron to Malta, in order to conduct operations against Axis shipping carrying reinforcements from Italy to Tripoli and Benghazi. The unit remained in the area until October, when they returned to Britain. Participating in a goodwill mission to the United States, he was appointed chief flying instructor at Wellesbourne Mountford, (Number 22 Operational Training Unit) in January 1942, before re-assuming command of No. 105 Squadron on 3 August.[6] During this time, Edwards married Cherry Kyrle "Pat" Beresford; the pair were later to have a son, Anthony, and a daughter, Sarah.[14][15] He was promoted to temporary wing commander on 1 September.[16]
On 6 December 1942, Edwards participated in a daylight bombing raid on the Philips Factory at Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Despite heavy opposition, the bombers successfully damaged or destroyed many of their targets, with two gun posts being silenced. Several members of the raid were decorated, including Edwards, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Order;[17] becoming the first airman to receive the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross in the Second World War.[14] Promoted to acting group captain, he assumed command of the bomber station at Binbrook in February 1943, where, despite his senior position, he continued to participate in operations.[18] On 18 August, he was promoted to war substantive wing commander.[19]
With the end of the European campaigns in sight, Edwards was transferred to the
Later career
Edwards continued his career in the post-war RAF, and was granted the substantive rank of
Returning to Britain in June 1947, he undertook a six-month course at the
Awarded a
Later life and governorship
Returning to Australia, Edwards became the Australian Representative for
His knighthood involved some controversy, following his wife's public comment that he was the only Australian state governor without such an honour. As knighthoods were then conferred by the Queen on the recommendation of her Federal and State governments, and the Governor was the Queen's representative in the state, this was seen as highly inappropriate, especially given the Western Australian
While Governor, Edwards' first official role was to christen
On 5 August 1982, while on his way to attend a Test match at the
Notes
- ^ Caroline de Mori. "Tribute to Sir Hughie". Air Force News. Royal Australian Air Force. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
- ^ Hoyle 2000, pp. 1–2
- ^ Macklin 2008, pp. 199–200
- ^ a b c Hoyle 2000, p. 3
- ^ ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 2 May 2009.
- ^ a b c d Staunton 2005, p. 227
- ^ Atkinson 1982, p. 187
- ^ "No. 34323". The London Gazette. 15 September 1936. p. 5940.
- ^ The London Gazette, 7 June 1938
- ^ The London Gazette, 25 June 1940
- ^ "No. 35208". The London Gazette. 4 July 1941. p. 3824.
- ^ a b "Fifty Australians: Sir Hughie Edwards". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
- ^ "No. 35225". The London Gazette. 22 July 1941. pp. 4213–4214.
- ^ a b c d e f g Staunton 2005, p. 228
- ^ Ken Llewelyn. "Commemoration ceremony for Air Force heroes". Air Force News. Retrieved 25 August 2008.
- ^ The London Gazette, 1 October 1942
- ^ "No. 35855". The London Gazette. 5 January 1943. p. 215.
- ^ a b "Air Commodore H I Edwards". Air of Authority. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
- ^ The London Gazette, 10 September 1943
- ^ "No. 36866". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1945. p. 61.
- ^ "No. 37518". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 March 1946. p. 1625.
- ^ "No. 37878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 February 1947. p. 701.
- ^ The London Gazette, 22 July 1947
- ^ The London Gazette, 1 January 1954
- ^ "No. 41589". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1958. p. 3.
- ^ The London Gazette, 30 June 1959
- ^ a b c "Air Commodore Sir Hughie Idwal Edwards 1974–1975". The Constitutional Centre of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2008.
- ^ "No. 46195". The London Gazette. 29 January 1974. p. 1207.
- ^ "No. 46366". The London Gazette. 8 October 1974. p. 8536.
- ^ Hoyle 2000, p. 199
- ^ [1] Burial Locations VC Holders – New South Wales (in connection with cremation).
- ^ "Victoria Crosses held at the Memorial". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2008.
- ^ "Hughie Edwards statue". Public Art Around the World. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
- ^ "A history of Caring". Hollywood Private Hospital. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
References
- Atkinson, Graeme (1982). Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking. Melbourne, Australia: The Five Mile Press. ISBN 0-86788-009-0.
- Hoyle, Arthur (2000). Hughie Edwards VC: The Fortunate Airman. Riverwood, New South Wales, Australia: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 0-9577681-0-9.
- ISBN 978-1-74114-882-4.
- Staunton, Anthony (2005). Victoria Cross: Australia's Finest and the Battles They Fought. Prahran, Victoria, Australia: Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 1-74066-288-1.
External links
- Reginald Mount (1943). "Wing Commander H.I Edwards". The Art of War. National Archives. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
- "Group Captain Hughie Edwards V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C." Famous Australians. 460 Squadron RAAF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
- "Group Captain Hughie Edwards VC". VC Recipients. Diggerhistory.info. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2008.