sir august august senior officer royal_air_force governor western australia australian recipient victoria_cross highest decoration gallantry face enemy awarded members british commonwealth armed forces serving bomber pilot royal_air_force raf edwards decorated victoria_cross efforts leading bombing raid port bremen heavily defended towns germany highly decorated australian second world war born edwards joined royal_australian_air_force year later granted short service commission raf serving second world war gained permanent commission continued career raf war retired rank air commodore returning australia appointed governor western australia early life edwards born august children welsh parents hugh wife jane née emigrated australia named father referred middle family edwards received initial education attending achieved academically later claimed good memory high intelligence edwards reluctantly forced leave school age fourteen family finances longer support described shy confident introspective imaginative stage life gained employment shipping office clerk onset great depression edwards found unemployed gaining job horse racing stable position entailed taking horses beach morning swim attending twice weekly race meetings lifelong interest horse racing consequently emerged time later working brief period factory enlisted australian_army march posted 6th heavy battery rank private period edwards active australian rules football played matches leading club cricket garrison team career selected flying training royal_australian_air_force raaf point cook transferred raf granted short service commission pilot officer august posted bomber squadron appointed adjutant squadron march flying bombers received promotion flying officer august edwards near scottish border flew storm metres aircraft forced metres edwards ordered navigator rear gunner aircraft metres effort jump clear parachute bomber radio mast ensuing crash sustained head injuries badly broken leg saved extensive surgery left leg shorter accident declared unfit flying duties april posted squadron active service outbreak war promoted flight lieutenant second world war edwards commanding officer squadron replacing previous incumbent killed anti shipping raid time squadron engaged series daylight operations germany occupied countries principal targets enemy shipping power installations yards locomotives yards june acting wing commander edwards led search enemy shipping soon sighted convoy anchored near launched attack low level bombs striking ton ship subsequently awarded action july edwards led daylight attack operation wreckage port bremen heavily defended towns germany edwards force attacked height feet telephone wires high voltage power lines bombers successfully penetrated fierce anti aircraft fire dense balloon barrage fire port resulted loss attacking force edwards brought remaining aircraft safely hit serial hit times actions raid earned victoria_cross citation edwards victoria cross appeared london gazette july read 22nd july royal_air_force king pleased victoria_cross officer recognition conspicuous bravery acting wing commander squadron wing commander edwards handicapped physical disability resulting flying accident repeatedly displayed gallantry highest order pressing home bombing attacks low heights strongly defended objectives 4th july led important attack port bremen heavily defended towns germany attack daylight clouds afford approach german coast enemy ships sighted wing commander edwards knew aircraft reported defences state readiness brought formation miles overland target flying height little feet passing high tension cables carrying away telegraph wires finally passing formidable balloon barrage reaching bremen met hail fire aircraft hit destroyed successful attack greatest skill withdrew surviving aircraft loss execution operation planned personally knowledge risks entailed wing commander edwards displayed highest possible standard gallantry determination july edwards took squadron malta order conduct operations axis shipping carrying reinforcements italy tripoli unit remained area october returned britain participating goodwill mission united_states appointed chief flying instructor operational training unit january assuming command squadron august time edwards married pair later son anthony daughter sarah promoted temporary wing commander september december edwards participated daylight bombing raid netherlands despite heavy opposition bombers successfully damaged destroyed targets gun posts members raid decorated including edwards awarded receive second world war promoted acting group captain assumed command bomber station february despite senior position continued participate operations august promoted war substantive wing commander end european campaigns sight edwards transferred pacific theatre ceylon group captain january mentioned despatches appointed senior administrative staff officer serving position conclusion war later career edwards continued career post war raf granted substantive rank squadron leader september posted staff officer malaya november february served short period returning malaya air adviser general officer commanding september posted station commander raf base remained awarded officer order british empire services south east asia returning britain june undertook month course receiving year posting senior personnel staff officer group promoted wing commander july posting senior instructor leadership course lincolnshire subsequently appointed station commander suffolk promoted group captain january edwards station commander raf base iraq crisis critical time iraqi revolution july returned britain october command acting rank air commodore awarded companion order bath new year honours promoted substantive rank air commodore july appointed aide camp queen elizabeth_ii march final appointment raf director establishments london january retirement september later life governorship returning australia edwards wife cherry died married pair said complement left leg knocked car sydney edwards right flying accident edwards relinquished position appointed governor western australia sworn january appointed knight commander order michael following october involved controversy following wife public comment australian state governor honour conferred queen recommendation federal state governments governor queen representative state seen highly inappropriate especially given government day led policy recommending defeated april incoming sir happy necessary recommendation governor edwards official role america cup challenger couple visitors governor estate man consumed wanted house apparently found arrested police charges laid ill health forced edwards resign vice appointment april went live sydney continued semi retirement commercial interests august way attend test match sydney cricket ground edwards unexpectedly collapsed died ashes buried cemetery perth state funeral sydney victoria_cross display australian war memorial canberra november life size bronze statue depicting edwards unveiled governor western australia kings square named honour
Hughie Edwards