Memorial Air Commodore Hughie Edwards V.C.

"Air Commodore Sir Hughie Idwal Edwards VC, KCMG, CB ,DSO, OBE, DFC, KstJ August 1 1914-August 5 1982 An Australian Hero Born in White Gum Valley and educated at Fremantle Boys School, Hughie Edwards trained as a pilot in the R.A.A.F, and transferred to the R.A.F. in 1935 In July 1941, he won the Distinguished Flying Cross for a low-level attack on shipping. In the same month, he earned the Victoria Cross for the 'highest possible standard of gallantry and determination' in leading a low-level daylight raid on Bremen Germany. In 1942, he won the Distinguished Service Order for leading an attack by 92 aircraft on an industrial target in Holland. During 1943/1944 he was based at Binbrook Lincolnshire and carried out Operational Flying with 460 R.A.A.F Lancaster Squadron. Appointed Governor of Western Australia in 1974, Sir Hughie Edwards retired in 1975 because of ill health. 'Per Ardua ad Astra' Sir Hughie Edwards ashes are buried in Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth and his Victoria Cross and other medals are displayed at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. He served in the European Theatre of Operations, the Battle of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean Theatre including the Siege of Malta and South East Asian Theatre. At the end of WW2 he served briefly with Netherlands East Indies Forces and during the Suez Crisis, 1956, and Iraqi Revolution in 1958 he was commanding RAF Habbaniya in Iraq.