Hughie Edwards
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Sir Hughie Idwal Edwards VC
, KCMG
, CB
, DSO
, OBE
, DFC
(1 August 1914 – 5 August 1982) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force
, Governor of Western Australia
, and an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British
and Commonwealth
armed forces. Serving as a bomber pilot in the Royal Air Force
, Edwards was decorated with the Victoria Cross in 1941 for his efforts in leading a bombing raid against the port of Bremen, one of the most heavily-defended towns in Germany
. He became the most highly-decorated Australian serviceman of the Second World War.
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 Royal Air Force. Serving with the RAF 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 made Governor of Western Australia in 1974.
, 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. Named after his father, he was always referred to by his middle name of Idwal in his family. Edwards received his initial education at White Gum Valley School, before attending the Fremantle Boy's 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. Described as a "shy, under-confident, introspective and imaginative lad" at this stage in his life, he gained employment as a shipping office clerk.
With the onset of the Great Depression
, Edwards found himself unemployed, before gaining a job with a horse racing stable in Fremantle. His position entailed him taking the horses to the beach each morning for a swim, grooming them, and attending the twice weekly race meetings; a lifelong interest in horse racing consequently emerged at this time. After later working for a brief period in a factory, he enlisted in the Australian Army
in March 1933 and was posted to the 6th Heavy Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, with the rank of private
. During this period, Edwards was an active sportsman, playing Australian Rules football
for South Fremantle
and cricket
with the Fremantle garrison team.
at RAAF Point Cook
, after which he transferred to the RAF, being granted a short service commission as a Pilot Officer
. Posted to No. 15 Bomber Squadron, he was appointed adjutant of No. 90 Squadron in March 1937, flying Blenheim bombers.
In August 1938, Edwards was piloting a Blenheim near the Scottish
border when he flew into a storm at 2,300 metres. When the ailerons froze, the aircraft was forced down to 1,600 metres and Edwards ordered the navigator and rear gunner to bale out of the aircraft. Down to 230 metres, he made an effort to jump clear, but his parachute became entangled with the bomber's radio mast pylon. In the ensuing crash, he sustained head injuries and a badly broken leg, which was only saved after extensive surgery. After the accident, he was declared unfit for flying duties until April 1940, when he was posted to No. 139 Squadron
for active service due to the outbreak of war.
of No. 105 Squadron
replacing their squadron commander 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 installiations, shipbuilding yards, locomotives, steelworks and marshalling yards. On 15 June, Edwards led six Blenheim
bombers 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
(DFC) for this action.
On 4 July 1941, Edwards led a daylight attack ("Operation Wreckage") against the port of Bremen, one of the most heavily-defended towns in Germany
. Edwards' force of twelve Blenheims attacked at a height of about 50 feet through telephone wires and high voltage power lines. The bombers successfully penetrated fierce anti-aircraft fire and a dense balloon barrage
, but further fire over the port itself resulted in the loss of four of the attacking force. Edwards brought his remaining aircraft safely back, although all had been hit and his own Blenheim (serial V6028) had been hit over 20 times. His actions in the raid earned him the Victoria Cross
(VC).
The full citation for Edwards' Victoria Cross appeared in the London Gazette
on 22 July 1941, it read:
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 of America, he was appointed chief flying instructor at an operational training unit in January 1942, before re-assuming command of No. 105 Squadron on 3 August. During this time, Edwards married Cherry Kyrle "Pat" Beresford; the pair were later to have a son, Anthony, and a daughter, Sarah.
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
(DSO); becoming the first airman to receive the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross in the Second World War. Promoted to 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.
With the end of the European campaigns in sight, Edwards was transferred to the Pacific theatre
, first to Ceylon as Group Captain, Bomber Operations. In January 1945, he was Mentioned in Despatches, and appointed the senior administrative staff officer at Headquarters, South East Asia Command
; serving in this position until the conclusion of the war.
from 1 September 1945. Posted as a staff officer at Air Headquarters, Malaya
, from November 1945 until February 1946, he served with the Netherlands East Indies Forces for a short period before returning to Malaya as air adviser to the General Officer Commanding
. In September 1945, he was posted as station commander at the RAF Base in Kuala Lumpur
; he remained there until May 1947, and was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services in south-east Asia.
Returning to Britain in June 1947, he undertook a six month course at the Staff College
, before receiving a two year posting as senior personnel staff officer of No. 21 Group, Flying Training Command. His next posting was as the senior instructor on the leadership course at Digby, Lincolnshire
, before becoming station commander at Wattisham
, Suffolk
. During the Suez Crisis
, Edwards commanded the RAF Station at Habbaniyah
in Iraq
, before returning to Britain on 21 October 1958 to command the Central Fighter Establishment
, West Raynham
, with the rank of acting air commodore
.
Awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1959 New Year Honours
, he was promoted to the substansive rank air commodore, and appointed as an Aide-de-Camp
to Queen Elizabeth II
in March 1960. His final appointment with the RAF was as Director of Establishments at the Air Ministry, London, from January 1962 until his retirement on 30 September 1963.
. He was sworn in on 7 January 1974, and knight
ed as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) the following October.
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 ALP
State government of the day, led by John Tonkin
had a policy of not recommending Imperial Honours. However, the Tonkin Government was defeated in April 1974 and the incoming Liberal
Premier, Sir Charles Court, was happy to make the necessary recommendation.
While Governor, Edwards' first official role was to christen Alan Bond
's America Cup challenger, Southern Cross, while one of the couple's first visitors to the Governor's estate was a man by the name of Thomas Dunhill, who had consumed ten beers and wanted to see the house. Lady Edwards apparently found him in the pantry; he was arrested by the police but no charges were laid. Ill health forced Edwards to resign from his vice-regal appointment on 2 April 1975, and he and Lady Edwards went to live in Sydney, where he continued in semi-retirement with commercial interests.
On 5 August 1982, while on his way to attend a test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground
, Edwards unexpectedly collapsed and died; he was buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth
, after a State Funeral. His Victoria Cross is on display at the Australian War Memorial
, Canberra
, and on 26 November 2002 a life size bronze statue depicting Edwards was unveiled by then Governor of Western Australia
, John Sanderson
, in Kings Square, Fremantle. The Hugh Edwards ward at Hollywood Private Hospital
has been named in his honour.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Hughie Idwal Edwards VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(1 August 1914 – 5 August 1982) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, Governor of Western Australia
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
, and an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
armed forces. Serving as a bomber pilot in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, Edwards was decorated with the Victoria Cross in 1941 for his efforts in leading a bombing raid against the port of Bremen, one of the most heavily-defended towns in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He became the most highly-decorated Australian serviceman of the Second World War.
Born in Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, Edwards joined the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
in 1935, and a year later was granted a short service commission with the Royal Air Force. Serving with the RAF 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 made Governor of Western Australia in 1974.
Early life
Edwards was born in FremantleFremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
on 1 August 1914, the third of five children to Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
parents Hugh, a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
and farrier
Farrier
A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves...
, and his wife Jane (née Watkins), who had emigrated to Australia in 1909. Named after his father, he was always referred to by his middle name of Idwal in his family. Edwards received his initial education at White Gum Valley School, before attending the Fremantle Boy's 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. Described as a "shy, under-confident, introspective and imaginative lad" at this stage in his life, he gained employment as a shipping office clerk.
With the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Edwards found himself unemployed, before gaining a job with a horse racing stable in Fremantle. His position entailed him taking the horses to the beach each morning for a swim, grooming them, and attending the twice weekly race meetings; a lifelong interest in horse racing consequently emerged at this time. After later working for a brief period in a factory, he enlisted in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
in March 1933 and was posted to the 6th Heavy Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, with the rank of private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
. During this period, Edwards was an active sportsman, playing Australian Rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
for South Fremantle
South Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
with the Fremantle garrison team.
Early Air Force career
In 1935, he was selected for flying training with the Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
at RAAF Point Cook
RAAF Williams
RAAF Williams comprises the two bases of Point Cook and Laverton. Both establishments previously existed as separate RAAF Bases until 1999 when they were amalgamated to form RAAF Williams...
, after which he transferred to the RAF, being granted a short service commission as a Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
. Posted to No. 15 Bomber Squadron, he was appointed adjutant of No. 90 Squadron in March 1937, flying Blenheim bombers.
In August 1938, Edwards was piloting a Blenheim near the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
border when he flew into a storm at 2,300 metres. When the ailerons froze, the aircraft was forced down to 1,600 metres and Edwards ordered the navigator and rear gunner to bale out of the aircraft. Down to 230 metres, he made an effort to jump clear, but his parachute became entangled with the bomber's radio mast pylon. In the ensuing crash, he sustained head injuries and a badly broken leg, which was only saved after extensive surgery. After the accident, he was declared unfit for flying duties until April 1940, when he was posted to No. 139 Squadron
No. 139 Squadron RAF
No. 139 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was fighter unit in World War I and a bomber unit from World War II until the 1960s.-Formation and World War I:...
for active service due to the outbreak of war.
Second World War
In May 1941, Edwards was made Commanding OfficerCommanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of No. 105 Squadron
No. 105 Squadron RAF
No. 105 Squadron was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force, active for three periods between 1917 and 1969. It was originally established during the First World War as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and disbanded after the war. Reactivated shortly before the Second World War, it was...
replacing their squadron commander 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
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the occupied countries, with its principal targets being enemy shipping, power installiations, shipbuilding yards, locomotives, steelworks and marshalling yards. On 15 June, Edwards led six Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
bombers on a search for enemy shipping and soon sighted a convoy of eight merchantmen anchored near The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. He launched an attack at low level, his bombs striking a 4,000 ton ship. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC) for this action.
On 4 July 1941, Edwards led a daylight attack ("Operation Wreckage") against the port of Bremen, one of the most heavily-defended towns in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Edwards' force of twelve Blenheims attacked at a height of about 50 feet through telephone wires and high voltage power lines. The bombers successfully penetrated fierce anti-aircraft fire and a dense balloon barrage
Barrage balloon
A barrage balloon is a large balloon tethered with metal cables, used to defend against low-level aircraft attack by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables, or at least making the attacker's approach more difficult. Some versions carried small explosive charges that would be pulled up...
, but further fire over the port itself resulted in the loss of four of the attacking force. Edwards brought his remaining aircraft safely back, although all had been hit and his own Blenheim (serial V6028) had been hit over 20 times. His actions in the raid earned him the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(VC).
The full citation for Edwards' Victoria Cross appeared in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 22 July 1941, it read:
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, in order to conduct operations against Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
shipping carrying reinforcements from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
and Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
. The unit remained in the area until October, when they returned to Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. Participating in a goodwill mission to the United States of America, he was appointed chief flying instructor at an operational training unit in January 1942, before re-assuming command of No. 105 Squadron on 3 August. During this time, Edwards married Cherry Kyrle "Pat" Beresford; the pair were later to have a son, Anthony, and a daughter, Sarah.
On 6 December 1942, Edwards participated in a daylight bombing raid on the Philips Factory at Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. 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
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO); becoming the first airman to receive the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross in the Second World War. Promoted to Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
, he assumed command of the bomber station at Binbrook in February 1943, where, despite his senior position, he continued to participate in operations.
With the end of the European campaigns in sight, Edwards was transferred to the Pacific theatre
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, first to Ceylon as Group Captain, Bomber Operations. In January 1945, he was Mentioned in Despatches, and appointed the senior administrative staff officer at Headquarters, South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...
; serving in this position until the conclusion of the war.
Later career
Edwards continued his career in the post-war RAF, and was granted the substantive rank of Squadron LeaderSquadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
from 1 September 1945. Posted as a staff officer at Air Headquarters, Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, from November 1945 until February 1946, he served with the Netherlands East Indies Forces for a short period before returning to Malaya as air adviser to the General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
. In September 1945, he was posted as station commander at the RAF Base in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
; he remained there until May 1947, and was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services in south-east Asia.
Returning to Britain in June 1947, he undertook a six month course at the Staff College
Staff college
Staff colleges train military officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career...
, before receiving a two year posting as senior personnel staff officer of No. 21 Group, Flying Training Command. His next posting was as the senior instructor on the leadership course at Digby, Lincolnshire
Digby, Lincolnshire
Digby is a small village and civil parish in the district of North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, England. The village lies in the vale of the Digby Beck watercourse, north of the town of Sleaford and miles south of the city of Lincoln...
, before becoming station commander at Wattisham
Wattisham
Wattisham is a civil parish near to the town of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England.-Wattisham Airfield:The village houses an airbase. Formerly known as RAF Wattisham, it was one of the front-line airbases in the Cold War. The RAF moved out in March 1993 and it is now the largest Army Air Corps airfield...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. During the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Edwards commanded the RAF Station at Habbaniyah
Habbaniyah
Al Habbaniyah or Habbaniya is a city in Al-Anbar Province, in central Iraq.-References:...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, before returning to Britain on 21 October 1958 to command the Central Fighter Establishment
Central Fighter Establishment
The Central Fighter Establishment was a Royal Air Force formation that dealt with the development Fighter aircraft tactics. It also tested new fighter aircraft and equipment. It also dealt with the training of squadron and flight commanders. It was formed on 1 October 1944 as part of No. 12 Group...
, West Raynham
West Raynham
West Raynham is a village in the county of Norfolk. Located close to the A1065 road, some 5 miles SW of Fakenham and is the largest village on the Raynham estate. The river Wensum flows nearby...
, with the rank of acting air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
.
Awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1959 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
, he was promoted to the substansive rank air commodore, and appointed as an Aide-de-Camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in March 1960. His final appointment with the RAF was as Director of Establishments at the Air Ministry, London, from January 1962 until his retirement on 30 September 1963.
Later life and governorship
Returning to Australia, Edwards became the Australian Representative for Selection Trust. In 1966 his wife, Cherry, died and in 1972 he married Dorothy Carew Berrick. The pair were said to complement each other well, as Dorothy limped on her left leg after being knocked over by a car on a crosswalk in Sydney in 1970, while Edwards limped with his right after his flying accident in 1938. In 1974, Edwards relinquished his position as the Australian Representative for Selection Trust and was appointed Governor of Western AustraliaGovernor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
. He was sworn in on 7 January 1974, and knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) the following October.
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
State government of the day, led by John Tonkin
John Tonkin
John Trezise Tonkin AC , popularly known as "Honest John", was the 20th Premier of Western Australia , taking power after the almost 12 year term of Liberal Sir David Brand....
had a policy of not recommending Imperial Honours. However, the Tonkin Government was defeated in April 1974 and the incoming Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
Premier, Sir Charles Court, was happy to make the necessary recommendation.
While Governor, Edwards' first official role was to christen Alan Bond
Alan Bond (businessman)
Alan Bond is an Australian businessman noted for his criminal convictions and high-profile business dealings, including what was at the time the biggest corporate collapse in Australian history. Bond was born in the Hammersmith district of London, England, and emigrated to Australia with his...
's America Cup challenger, Southern Cross, while one of the couple's first visitors to the Governor's estate was a man by the name of Thomas Dunhill, who had consumed ten beers and wanted to see the house. Lady Edwards apparently found him in the pantry; he was arrested by the police but no charges were laid. Ill health forced Edwards to resign from his vice-regal appointment on 2 April 1975, and he and Lady Edwards went to live in Sydney, where he continued in semi-retirement with commercial interests.
On 5 August 1982, while on his way to attend a test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
, Edwards unexpectedly collapsed and died; he was buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, after a State Funeral. His Victoria Cross is on display at the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, and on 26 November 2002 a life size bronze statue depicting Edwards was unveiled by then Governor of Western Australia
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
, John Sanderson
John Sanderson
Lieutenant General John Murray Sanderson AC is a former Governor of Western Australia and a former Chief of the Australian Army.-Early life:...
, in Kings Square, Fremantle. The Hugh Edwards ward at Hollywood Private Hospital
Hollywood Private Hospital
Hollywood Private Hospital is an acute-care private teaching hospital situated in the Perth suburb of Nedlands, in Western Australia. The hospital has 474 beds for in-patients and day stays and provides care for private patients, including the privately insured, entitled veterans and the...
has been named in his honour.