Hughie Edwards

Sir Hughie Edwards
23rd Governor of Western Australia
In office
7 January 1974 – 2 April 1975
MonarchElizabeth II
PremierJohn Tonkin
Sir Charles Court
Preceded bySir Douglas Kendrew
Succeeded bySir Wallace Kyle
Personal details
Born1 August 1914
Fremantle, Western Australia
Died5 August 1982(1982-08-05) (aged 68)
Sydney, New South Wales
Military service
AllegianceAustralia (1934–1936)
United Kingdom (1936–1963)
Branch/serviceAustralian Army (1934–1935)
Royal Australian Air Force
(1935–1936)

Royal Air Force (1936–1963)
Years of service1934–1963
RankAir Commodore
CommandsRAF Habbaniya
RAF Wattisham
RAF Kuala Lumpur
RAF Binbrook
No. 105 Squadron
Battles/wars
AwardsVictoria Cross
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Flying Cross
Knight of the Order of St John
Mention in Despatches

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 (RAF), 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.[1]

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 RAF. Serving 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 appointed Governor of Western Australia in 1974.

  1. ^ Caroline de Mori. "Tribute to Sir Hughie". Air Force News. Royal Australian Air Force. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.