Canadian WWII flying ace 'Stocky' Edwards dies
One of Canada's most successful Second World War flying aces, James Francis "Stocky" Edwards of Comox, B.C., has died at the age of 100.
Edwards was 19 years old when he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in October 1940. By the end of the war, he had risen to the rank of wing commander and achieved an estimated 20 confirmed aerial kills, mainly over North Africa, though the Department of National Defence admits there is still debate over the official tally.
"Flying a P-40 Kittyhawk, he flew 373 operational sorties and was never shot down himself," said National Defence spokesperson Yvette Mills in a statement to CTV News.
"There is some discrepancy over the number of confirmed kills, however it is a greater testimony to Stocky’s character, and memory, to mention that he did not like to discuss this number as a matter of professionalism," Mills added.
Edwards earned the nickname "Stocky" for his toughness despite his small stature. He was born in Saskatchewan and went on to serve 32 years with the air force, in a variety of domestic and international posts, before settling in Comox.
It was on the Canadian prairie that Edwards first honed his shooting skills, according to longtime friend Dave Mellin, an honourary colonel with the air force's 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron.
"He used to tell the story that he was very fortunate as a fighter pilot because he understood to lead his target – not shoot at his target but lead it," Mellin told CTV News. "And he acquired that knowledge hunting ducks with his father back home."
'THERE WASN'T AN AWFUL LOT THEY COULD DO'
Edwards was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2004 and a Knight of France's Legion of Honour in 2014.
His longtime friend was on vacation in Mexico when he received a phone call with the news that Edwards was in the beginning stages of heart failure.
"There wasn’t an awful lot they could do for him and Stocky, being the gentleman he is, said 'I don't want any heroics and I don’t want to pass away in the hospital. I want to be with my friends and family.' And that's exactly what he did," Mellin said.
"He passed away peacefully early Saturday evening and it was in the company of a lot of close friends and of course as much family as possibly could get there."
Comox Mayor Russ Arnott confirmed the death Saturday in a Facebook post, saying, "Stocky's intelligence, warmth and energy never ceased to amaze us."
In recent years, Edwards had dedicated his time to conservation projects, including wetlands protection with Ducks Unlimited.
Mayor Bob Wells of Courtenay, B.C., said Edwards was "a heroic man of great character and conviction, and yet he was consistently humble, charming, and kind."
The mayor joined others in offering his condolences to the war veteran's wife, Toni, and their family.
A funeral is expected to be held at Christ the King Catholic Church in Courtenay.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.