Air Vice Marshal Sir Hughie Idwal Edwards, VC, KCMG, CB, DSO, OBE, DFC (1914–1982) An air force hero who became Governor of Western Australia. Edwards was a highly decorated airman whose awards included the Victoria Cross for a low-level attack on the port of Bremen. Edwards joined the RAAF when he was 21. Following pilot training he transferred to the RAF in Britain under a pre-war arrangement. Another to do this was Air Vice Marshal Don Bennett, regarded as the founder of the Path-finder Force. “It was ironic that the two most successful Australian air commanders in Europe earned their reputations as members of the RAF,” noted an air force historian. In Britain Edwards was posted to a bomber squadron in 1936. Two years later he was badly injured in a plane crash and did not resume flying until the war began. In May 1941 he was appointed to command No. 105 Squadron RAF; he undertook attacks on Germany and the occupied countries, and on enemy shipping. On 4 July 1941 Edwards led 12 twin-engined bombers in a low-level attack on the heavily defended port of Bremen. The aircraft had to fly under high-tension wires, through a balloon barrage, and into intense fire. All his bombers were hit, and four were shot down. For his gallantry and determination, Edwards received the Victoria Cross. Edwards continued to lead his squadron against major targets, and was further decorated; his combination of awards marked him as one of the war’s outstanding pilots. In February 1943 he became Commanding Officer of RAF Station, Binbrook, resuming his association with the RAAF as No. 460 Squadron RAAF operated from the base flying Avro Lancasters. (“G for George”, the centrepiece of the Memorial’s Striking by night program in ANZAC Hall, was one of these.) After the war Edwards continued his career in the RAF. By 1962 he was Director of Establishments of the Air Ministry in London. Eventually he returned to Australia. He was Governor of Western Australia (1974–75) and was knighted, later retiring because of ill-health. View attachment 1381 Stella Bowen, Group Captain Hughie Edwards 1944 ART26264
For those who query his middle name........Idwal. It is Welsh and means "Lord of the Wall" (I looked it up )
The aircraft of 105 sqn that he lead in the VC action were Blenheims; a light bomber with a horrific loss rate. On at least one occassion virtually an entire squadron was lost. On the other hand, the Blenheim was not a particularly bad aeroplane, but it was used in daylight operations against heavily defended targets, and to be even slightly slower than the opposing fighters made it vulnerable. All air forces found this with their light bombers, eg the losses of Stukas in the BofB. The only reason the Mosquito is remembered with more affection is that it was genuinely faster than the fighters, and this wouldn't have lasted beyond 1945. Adrian
The Blenhiem is a prime example of how quickly aircraft of that era could become obsolete. When it first flew in 1936 it was - together with the Fairey Battle - considered one of the fastest, most modern aircraft in the world. As fighter pilots wanted to fly the Spitfire, so bomber pilots wanted the Blenhiem. However, it later earned the reputation as the RAF's "loss-leader" and was once described by one of its pilots as having as much damage resistance as an electric light bulb!
..and what did for many of them, even pre-war, was the feathering switches behind the pilots left elbow, which meant that if one engine failed and you needed to feather the prop to reduce drag, it was very easy to lose the good engine by mistake, especially if wearing flying mittens. It is alleged that this was why the Blenheim Society had to do another five years work on their preserved example, after restoring it for seven years. Adrian
Spidge If you are interested in WW2 Australian Air VCs, then check out this link, on Flight Sergeant Rawdon Hume Middleton VC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawdon_Hume_Middleton Out of all the VC recipients that I can think of, Middleton's story is one of the most moving accounts of the extremes of courage, tenacity, endurance in the face of physical pain, and calculated sacrifice of them all. Adrian
(adrian roberts @ Dec 15 2005, 11:27 AM) [post=43151]Spidge If you are interested in WW2 Australian Air VCs, then check out this link, on Flight Sergeant Rawdon Hume Middleton VC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawdon_Hume_Middleton Out of all the VC recipients that I can think of, Middleton's story is one of the most moving accounts of the extremes of courage, tenacity, endurance in the face of physical pain, and calculated sacrifice of them all. Adrian [/b] Many thanks Adrian. Ron Middleton was the first RAAF VC in WW2. This is the Australian link with photo's etc and as you say is quite moving. http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-vc/middleton-vc.htm John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends"
