Jimmy Edwards, Down Ampney, Arnhem

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by geoff501, Jun 11, 2009.

  1. geoff501

    geoff501 Achtung Feind hört mit

    Listening to BBC West Midlands radio last night as I was driving through the rain. A RAF Vet from The Down Ampney Association phoned in. He mentioned 'Professor' Jimmy Edwards, who has been mentioned on here before, awarded a DFC for landing his burning Dakota at Arnhem, when he discovered all the crew could not bail out.

    I found this link on The BBC site:
    BBC - WW2 People's War - My Time with 271 Squadron Chapter 3

    We don't get 'TV celebrities' like this anymore.
     
  2. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    I remember they did an interview with him about Arnhem back in 1984. He suddenly became a very different person to the one we were used to seeing on TV.
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Had to google him....I remember him from when I was growing now I've seen the face as being a teacher in a cap and gown.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Thanks for that, Down Ampney is just up the road from me, I knew they were used for airborne ops but I don't actually know that much.
     
  5. geoff501

    geoff501 Achtung Feind hört mit

    Thanks for that, Down Ampney is just up the road from me, I knew they were used for airborne ops but I don't actually know that much.

    Worth a look perhaps.

    Gloucestershire - RAF Down Ampney
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I know Bob Gurney, who has a lot to do with the remembrance side of things at Down Ampney, just as it's a RAF thing I'm not really 'into' as much as if was an army subject.
    I haven't been out there since a my teenage years on my bike.
    Blakehill Fram is also nearby which was another base involved in airborne ops, now a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserve.
    Wiltshire Wildlife Trust - Blakehill Farm
     
  7. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

  8. Jamie Holdbridge-Stuart

    Jamie Holdbridge-Stuart Senior Member

    He grew the big 'tache to cover the facial scarring he sustained putting the Dak down.
     
  9. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    News to me. It shows to you you learn something new every day.

    Cheers
    Paul
     
  10. Paul Pariso

    Paul Pariso Very Senior Member

    Thanks for that, Down Ampney is just up the road from me, I knew they were used for airborne ops but I don't actually know that much.

    Owen,
    I recently managed to get hold of a copy of this booklet. I'm not sure if they're still available but it might be worth a look. :)
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    21 September 1944

    271 Squadron.

    Dakota KG444

    Crashed between Oploo and Gemert.

    The pilot of this aircraft was to achieve post-war fame as ‘Professor Jimmy Edwards’ but his RAF title was F/L. James Keith O’Neill Edwards.

    This crew had delivered their load of supplies and the pilot climbed to 6,000 feet and carried out a circuit on the dropping areas before setting course to the south and climbing to 8,000 feet. South of Nijmegen, the aircraft was attacked by a fighter and after a running battle amongst broken cloud, the aircraft was severely damaged and set on fire. After deciding to bale out initially the pilot elected to crash land the aircraft, when he realised that several of the dispatchers had been wounded. Unfortunately the wounded soldiers could not be saved and they were killed when the aircraft crashed or died of their injuries immediately afterwards. F/L Edwards, his wireless operator and a soldier were able to reach Allied lines but the two other crew were made POWs

    Lance Corporal G. Chisholme +
    Driver L H S. Abbott +
    Driver R. Abbott +

    ‘Though Without Anger’ - Cummings.
     
  12. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    or even better with photographs "The Royal Airforce at Arnhem.

    One of the crew members later became Edwards assistent when he was a comic
     
  13. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    Another 1940's Celeb amongst all the others who did his bit for his country at that time,I wonder how many of todays Celeb's! would go and fight for their country in this day and age?
    Rob D
     
  14. airborne medic

    airborne medic Very Senior Member

    There is a picture in the book Off at Last taken on one of the commemorations of him with one of the passengers from the glider he towed on the first lift in Sept 1944......
     
  15. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

  16. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Nice one Phil, have some rep.....:D
     
  17. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    The pilot of this aircraft was to achieve post-war fame as ‘Professor Jimmy Edwards’ but his RAF title was F/L. James Keith O’Neill Edwards.




    Born James Keith O’Neill in Barnes, London, Edwards served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. His Dakota was shot down at Arnhem in 1944, resulting in plastic surgery — he disguised it with the huge handlebar moustache that later became his trademark.

    Google Image Result for http://thecoalhole.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/little-red-monkey.jpg
     
  18. MalcolmII

    MalcolmII Senior Member

    I have the great honour of knowing Gordon (Taffy) Winter who was a W/O, Air Gunner in 271 Squadron before and after Arnhem. I've seen his log book with all his flights. He is a very modest man like all WW2 vets but he is a hero to me. He says that Jimmy Edwards was a great pilot.

    Aye
    MalcolmII
     
  19. GPRegt

    GPRegt Senior Member

    Jimmy Edwards was also involved in the Normandy Landings. He towed Chalk 265 (S/Sgt Rancom and Sgt Collard) on Op Tonga. I don't know the Chalk of his Op Mallard glider.

    Steve W.
     
    brithm likes this.
  20. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    News to me. It shows to you you learn something new every day.

    Cheers
    Paul

    Paul,
    I too never knew about the facial scar being hidden by the moustache.
    A great thread to read and yes, you can learn something everyday on this forum.
    That is what makes it so special.

    Regards
    Tom
     

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