The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (413748) Flight Sergeant Patrick John Edwards, No. 466 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (413748) Flight Sergeant Patrick John Edwards, No. 466 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Second World War.

413748 Flight Sergeant Patrick John Edwards, No. 466 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
Killed in flying battle 20 December 1943

Story delivered 5 December 2017

Today we pay tribute to Flight Sergeant Patrick John Edwards.

Patrick Edwards was born on 3 August 1922 in Cardiff, New South Wales, to Frances and May Edwards.

Growing up, he attended Broadmeadow Central School in Newcastle.

In September 1941, at the age of 19, Edwards enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force and commenced training to become a pilot. After some initial training, in November 1942 he embarked for overseas service.

As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, Edwards was one of almost 27,500 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and engineers, who, throughout the course of the war, joined Royal Air Force squadrons or Australian squadrons based in Britain.

Arriving in Britain, Edwards undertook specialist training before being posted to No. 466 Squadron, part of the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command.

At the time Edwards joined the squadron, No. 466 Squadron was equipped with the four-engined Handley Page Halifax heavy bombers.

On the night of 20/21 December 1943, 16 Halifax bombers from No. 466 Squadron took off from RAF Leconfield to take part in a raid on Frankfurt–am–Main in Germany.
After bombing the target, Edwards Halifax came under attack from a nightfighter, and the inner engine and wing of the aircraft was set on fire.

Edwards ordered his crew to bale out, which they did, eventually becoming prisoners of war in Germany.

But Edwards himself did not escape. His Halifax crashed nearby at Marburg, north of Frankfurt, and he was killed.

His body was recovered from the crash site and buried in the local village cemetery at Beltershausen by the local mayor and priest. Following the war it was reinterred at the British and Commonwealth War Cemetery in Hanover, Germany.

In a letter home to Edwards’ family, the commanding officer of No. 466 Squadron wrote:
Flight Sergeant Edwards is greatly missed by his many friends in the Squadron, where he had always seemed to be happy doing such grand work for our cause. I should like to express my personal sympathy and profound regret that it should fall to my lot to convey to you tidings such as these.

Patrick Edwards was 21 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flight Sergeant Patrick John Edwards, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Lachlan Grant
Historian, Military History Section