- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Francis_Edwards
- Wiki Biography:
- James Francis Edwards, CM, DFC & Bar, DFM, CD (5 June 1921 – 14 May 2022), later known as Stocky Edwards, was a Canadian fighter pilot during World War II. With 19 confirmed aerial victories, Edwards was Canada’s highest scoring ace in the Western Desert Campaign.
- Born in Nokomis, Saskatchewan, Edwards grew up in Battleford, Saskatchewan. After graduating from St Thomas College in 1940 he volunteered for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
- Sergeant Edwards was posted to 94 Squadron RAF of 223 Wing in January 1942 flying the Curtiss Kittyhawk. On 23 March, he flew his first operational trip, during which he shot down his first enemy aircraft, a Messerschmitt Bf 109.
- According to Shores and Williams’ Aces High, his final wartime score was 15 + 3 shared destroyed, with 9 more destroyed on the ground. Brown and Lavigne’s Canadian Wing Commander credits him with 19 victories, 2 shared, 6.5 probable, 17 damaged and 12 destroyed on the ground. During an interview, Edwards himself specified that he had 19 confirmed victories during the war.[5] Many who flew with him have said that he only reported those “kills” he was certain of and that his real number of aerial victories was probably much higher than officially reported. Eighteen of Edwards’ 19 victories, according to Brown and Lavigne, were enemy fighters (14 Bf 109s, 3 Fw 190s and one Macchi C.202).
- Third Great grandson to United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=2536
- Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/239924806/james_francis-edwards
UEL Canada 