Hughie Edwards - Later Career

Later Career

Edwards continued his career in the post-war RAF, and was granted the substantive rank of squadron leader from 1 September 1945. Posted as a staff officer at Air Headquarters, Malaya, from November 1945 until February 1946, he served with the Netherlands East Indies Forces for a short period before returning to Malaya as air adviser to the General Officer Commanding. In September 1945, he was posted as station commander at the RAF Base in Kuala Lumpur; he remained there until May 1947, and was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services in south-east Asia.

Returning to Britain in June 1947, he undertook a six month course at the Staff College, before receiving a two year posting as senior personnel staff officer of No. 21 Group, Flying Training Command. His next posting was as the senior instructor on the leadership course at Digby, Lincolnshire, before becoming station commander at Wattisham, Suffolk. During the Suez Crisis, Edwards commanded the RAF Station at Habbaniyah in Iraq, before returning to Britain on 21 October 1958 to command the Central Fighter Establishment, West Raynham, with the rank of acting air commodore.

Awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1959 New Year Honours, he was promoted to substantive rank air commodore, and appointed as an aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II in March 1960. His final appointment with the RAF was as Director of Establishments at the Air Ministry, London, from January 1962 until his retirement on 30 September 1963.