Swales, Edwin
Personal Information
Rank | Major |
Forename(s) | Edwin |
Surname | Swales |
Gender | M |
Age | 29 |
Decorations | VC, DFC |
Date of Death | 23-02-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of The Late Harry E. and Olive M. Swales, of Durban Natal, South Africa. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | PB538 |
Markings | 6O-M |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
Burial/Memorial Place | Leopoldsburg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | VIII. C. 5. |
Epitaph | IN PROUD MEMORY FROM COMRADES OF THE NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES AND S.A. AIR FORCE |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 250 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 6101V |
Service | South African Air Force |
Group | 8 |
Squadron | 582 |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | South Africa |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to former Airfield Site, Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to RAF Little Staughton, including 109 Sqn |
Location | All Saints Church, Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet & Sqn Badge |
Memorial Text | In memory of 109 and 582 Sqns. At R.A.F. Little Staughton |
Miscellaneous Information
VC Citation (London Gazette 3rd February 1945): "Captain Swales was 'Master Bomber' of a force of aircraft which attacked Pforzheim on the night of February 23, 1945. As Master Bomber he had the task of locating the target area with precision and of giving aiming instructions to the main force of bombers in his wake. Soon after he reached the target area he was engaged by an enemy aircraft and one of his engines was put out of action. His rear guns failed. His crippled aircraft was an easy prey for further attacks. Unperturbed, he carried on with his allotted task. Clearly and precisely he issued aiming instructions to the main force. Meanwhile the enemy fighter closed the range and fired again. A second engine of Captain Swales’ aircraft was put out of action. Almost defenceless, he stayed over the target area issuing his aiming instructions until he was satisfied that the attack had achieved its purpose. It is now known that the attack was one of the most concentrated and successful of the war. Captain Swales did not, however, regard his mission as completed. His aircraft was damaged. Its speed had been so much reduced that it could only with difficulty be kept in the air. The blind-flying instruments were no longer working. Determined at all costs to prevent his aircraft and crew from falling into enemy hands, he set course for home. After an hour he flew into thin-layered cloud. He kept his course by skilful flying between the layers, but later heavy cloud and turbulent air conditions were met. The aircraft, by now over friendly territory, became more and more difficult to control and it was losing height steadily. Realising that the situation was desperate Captain Swales ordered his crew to bail out. Time was very short and it required all his exertions to keep the aircraft steady while each of his crew moved in turn to the escape hatch and parachuted to safety. Hardly had the last crew-member jumped when the aircraft plunged to earth. Captain Swales was found dead at the controls. Intrepid in the attack, courageous in the face of danger, he did his duty to the last, giving his life that his comrades might live.” |
This was Major Swales's 43rd operational sortie. He had the rank of Captain but was acting Major |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 23-02-1945 |
End Date | 24-02-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Little Staughton |
Day/Night Raid | Night (92% moon) |
Operation | Pforzheim- as Master Bomber. 380 aircraft and one film unit aircraft, 12 losses. Bombing took place from 8000' and was especially accurate. 1825 tons of bombs were dropped in just 22 minutes. More than 17000 people were killed in the resultant fire storm- probably the third highest death toll of the war. A post-war survey estimated that 83% of the built up area was destroyed. Capt E Swales of South Africa won the last Bomber Command VC of the war on this raid, awarded posthumously. |
Reason for Loss | Very badly damaged by night-fighters over the target but the pilot skilfully flew the aircraft to the Allied lines and ordered his crew to bale out. The aircraft hit high tension cables before the pilot himself was able to make good his escape and crashed near Valenciennes. The other crew members all fell inside the Allied lines and were unharmed |