519:
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; 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.
189:
201:
156:
169:
706:(suppliers of the Lancaster engines) and presented to the ten Victoria Cross winners (or their families) who flew Lancasters in the Second World War. On the base stand of the model is a silver plaque inscribed: "A Tribute from the Directors of A.V. Roe & Company and Rolls-Royce Limited. To the Memory of Captain Edwin Swales," V.C., D.F.C., S.A.A.F., who was Awarded the Victoria Cross for his great Gallantry and Self-Sacrifice during Operations Against the Enemy on 23 February 1945".
464:
fights, Capt. Swales manoeuvred with great skill. As a result his gunners were able to bring effective fire to bear upon the attackers, one of which is believed to have been shot down. Throughout this spirited action
Captain Swales displayed exceptional coolness and captaincy, setting a very fine example. This Officer has completed very many sorties during which he has attacked a variety of enemy targets
1022:
691:
hands a few times, the group came up for auction in London in July 2004, at which time the medals and model were sold to a UK collector. A medal collector and D.H.S. Old Boy tracked down the buyer and convinced him to sell his recent acquisitions to the school. After four months of negotiations, the medals and model were delivered to their new home at DHS, where they were first displayed on
595:
February 1945, Swales was aged 29 years. In 1958, the
British Air Ministry wrote to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission informing them that the South African Air Force authorities had confirmed that at the time of his death, Swales had in fact held the rank of major. The front page of the program for the opening of the
515:
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.
594:
Although often referred to as being a "captain" at the time of his last flight (because of being the commander of the aircraft), Swales was in military rank an 'acting' major. The S.A.A.F. was using the army ranking system, hence the ranks of 'captain' and of 'major'. At the time of his death on 23
485:
Swales' aircraft was attacked by an Bf 110 whose fire shattered one engine and holed the fuel tanks. They were attacked again by the same fighter which knocked out a second engine. Swales decided to try and make it to friendly territory. The weather closed in and he ordered the crew to bail out. He
481:
The 'sortie', his 43rd operational flight, consisted of 367 Lancasters supported by 13 Mosquitos. The marking and bombing, from a relatively low 8,000 feet (2440m), were accurate and severe damage was inflicted on
Pforzheim: 1,825 tons (1854 tonnes) of bombs were dropped in 22 minutes. The post-war
463:
This
Officer was pilot and Captain of an aircraft detailed to attack Cologne in December, 1944. When approaching the target, intense anti-aircraft fire was encountered. Despite this, a good bombing attack was executed. Soon afterwards the aircraft was attacked by five enemy aircraft. In the ensuing
379:
Swales was also very keen on sport generally, and enjoyed rugby. He played for both civilian (pre-war) and various military teams. After playing for the DHS 2nd XV, he later played rugby for a number of South
African and Dominion teams, whilst he was in the United Kingdom, during the War years. He
690:
The original set of miniature medals belonging to Swales, and a silver model
Lancaster bomber, are now housed in an exhibition honouring Swales at his old school, Durban High School. Many years ago, the miniature medals and the model had been sold by a member of the Swales family. After changing
518:
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
514:
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
739:
The crew members, six of whom had flown with Swales on 30 of his 43 flights, were: Flight
Sergeants G.W. Bennington DFM; C. Dodson DSO DFC and W/O 1st Class B. Leach DFM; Squadron Leader D.P.D. Archer DSO DFC; and Pilot Officers R.A. Wheaton RAAF; A.V. Goodacre RAAF and N. Bourne
510:
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.
452:, despite being damaged by flak and with two engines on fire, crashed after completing its bombing run. Palmer was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross – becoming the 2nd Pathfinder pilot to be so honoured. Six of the 30 aircraft on this operation were lost.
417:. It was normal for the Pathfinders to accept only experienced pilots who had completed a full tour on bombers. Although Swales had never spent any time as a bomber pilot in a standard heavy bomber squadron, Swales went straight into the squadron.
384:
when he had been posted to Kimberley for training. He was also a reserve for the Natal rugby team, without ever actually playing for the province. He received his wings at Kimberley on 26 June 1943. On 22 August 1943, he was seconded to the
482:
British Bombing Survey Unit estimated that 83% of the town's built-up area was destroyed, probably the greatest proportion of a city destroyed in any one raid during the war. Ten Lancasters were lost and two more crashed in France.
590:.... On every occasion your son proved himself to be a determined fighter and resolute captain of his crew. His devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own safety will remain an example and inspiration to us all ....
675:' is named Swales House. The school also has a granite memorial in his memory. In the city of Durban, there was a major arterial road named 'Edwin Swales VC Drive'. In terms of a controversial decision made by the
611:
Swales was the only S.A.A.F. pilot during 1939–45 to be appointed a pathfinder master bomber and also to have been posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. The full list of the medals awarded to Swales follows:
477:
III PB538. On 23 February 1945, the very day as his D.F.C. award was gazetted, Swales led the bombing raid on Pforzheim, Germany (not far from Karlsruhe and the Rhine River), where 17,600 civilians were killed.
448:, also based at Little Staughton. Swales was the number two Pathfinder, leading the main flight and following Palmer as he marked the target. Palmer, who had completed 110 bombing raids, was killed as his
1122:
1092:
1112:
333:
44:
869:
1087:
424:
was on 12 July 1944. Newly promoted to captain on 4 November 1944, he took part in a daring daylight bombing raid on 23 December, on the Gremberg railway yards,
498:
in northern France killing him. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross – the 3rd and last Pathfinder pilot to be so honoured. All had been posthumous.
668:
1142:
1152:
960:
680:
1117:
623:
456:
324:
to Harry Evelyn Swales, who was a farmer in the Heatonville district, and Olive Miriam Essery. Following the death of her husband in the
301:
279:
1132:
1107:
1102:
603:
on 31 May 1950, described Mrs. Olive Swales (who opened the Memorial) as being the "mother of the Late Major Edwin Swales, DFC, VC".
522:
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.
873:
935:
A Bank in Battledress: Being the Story of Barclays Bank (Dominion, Colonial and Overseas) During the Second World War, 1939–45
1147:
1097:
997:
923:
1039:
1062:
698:
The silver model Lancaster was one of only ten such models which were commissioned by the aircraft's manufacturers, Messrs
265:
1127:
676:
1057:
433:
261:
546:
117:
1025:
774:
809:
344:, at the 4th Durban Scout Troop. After leaving school, and prior to the Second World War, Edwin Swales worked for
293:
647:
596:
397:
Following successful period of training on heavy bombers, Swales was posted, in June 1944, to the elite RAF
17:
437:
473:
In 1945, while with the RAF Pathfinders (No. 582 Squadron), Swales was the Master Bomber and captain of
1137:
946:
An Official History of the Natal Mounted Rifles and Its Antecedent and Associated Units, 1854–1969
828:
790:
654:
641:
373:
194:
671:
in Saxonwold, Johannesburg. At his old school, Durban High School (founded in 1866), a school '
369:
317:
679:
Municipality, Swales' name was expunged, and the road's name changed to honour instead noted
579:
441:
161:
79:
1082:
1077:
899:
661:
445:
421:
402:
349:
8:
703:
341:
1034:
954:
833:
795:
629:
583:
337:
667:
Swales' full-size war medals and some other possessions are held and displayed at the
531:
Originally buried at Fosse's USA Cemetery, his remains now lie at the War Cemetery at
993:
919:
770:
576:
536:
325:
684:
410:
398:
297:
217:
987:
969:
944:
933:
913:
903:
429:
414:
406:
386:
381:
357:
206:
848:
617:
474:
455:
For his actions on the Cologne raid, Edwin Swales was subsequently awarded the
449:
353:
305:
290:
275:
236:
174:
83:
360:, 2nd class). With the N.M.R., in the early part of the War, he saw action in
1071:
692:
561:
548:
329:
132:
119:
672:
532:
487:
321:
257:
101:
728:
635:
769:. Vol. IV. Human Sciences Research Council. 1981. pp. 635–6.
1026:
Photograph of Major Swales' tombstone in the Leopoldsburg War Cemetery
849:"Medals held by the South African National Museum of Military History"
486:
attempted to put his Lancaster down but it stalled and crashed near
389:(RAF) while retaining his South African Air Force uniform and rank.
1035:
Leopoldsburg War Cemetery of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
938:. Cape Town: Barclays Bank (Dominion, Colonial and Overseas). 1948.
600:
365:
345:
540:
425:
495:
491:
296:(3 July 1915 – 23 February 1945) was a South African pilot and
43:
1123:
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
905:
Monuments to courage: Victoria Cross headstones and memorials
361:
316:
Edwin Essery Swales was one of four children born in Inanda,
1093:
South African World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross
699:
974:. Durban: Durban High School and Old Boys' Memorial Trust.
586:, wrote a letter to Swales' mother, saying, inter-alia:
1113:
South African military personnel killed in World War II
1045:
346:
Barclays Bank (Dominion Colonial and Overseas - DCO)
113:
War Cemetery at Leopoldsburg, near Limburg, Belgium
870:"IOL: Street renaming raises KZN historian's ire"
669:South African National Museum of Military History
1069:
1088:South African recipients of the Victoria Cross
152:
799:(Supplement). 20 February 1945. p. 1070.
749:about 250 miles (400 km), from Pforzheim
340:(DHS). As a young lad, Edwin had also been a
328:, Mrs Swales and her children moved to the
959:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
837:(Supplement). 20 April 1945. p. 2173.
249:Pathfinder Force with No. 582 Squadron RAF
42:
942:
606:
967:
841:
827:
789:
311:
1143:South African people of British descent
985:
14:
1070:
898:
352:before the War, rising to the rank of
1153:Military personnel from KwaZulu-Natal
767:Dictionary of South African Biography
420:Swales' first operational flight for
1063:Bombing of Pforzheim in World War II
392:
24:
1118:Aviators killed by being shot down
1058:Bombing of Cologne in World War II
1046:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
915:The Register of the Victoria Cross
25:
1164:
1133:People from Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal
1108:South African World War II pilots
1007:
468:
348:in Durban. Swales had joined the
1103:South African Air Force officers
1020:
968:Jennings, Hubert Dudley (1966).
729:Hptm. Gerhard Friedrich, II/NJG1
199:
187:
167:
154:
543:, Plot No.8, Row C, Grave No.5.
27:Recipient of the Victoria Cross
862:
821:
803:
783:
758:
743:
733:
721:
334:Durban Preparatory High School
332:. Here, Edwin Swales attended
13:
1:
980:For Valour – S.A. V.C. Heroes
709:
372:. He then transferred to the
326:influenza epidemic of 1918-19
1148:Alumni of Durban High School
1098:South African Army personnel
918:. This England Books. 1997.
7:
1051:
989:Bennett and the Pathfinders
971:The D.H.S. story, 1866-1966
506:Swales' VC citation reads:
501:
10:
1169:
1128:World War II bomber pilots
624:Distinguished Flying Cross
580:Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris
457:Distinguished Flying Cross
302:Distinguished Flying Cross
280:Distinguished Flying Cross
1019:
1014:
908:. Kevin and Kay Patience.
526:
300:hero. He was awarded the
288:Edwin (Ted) Essery Swales
271:
253:
245:
235:
227:
212:
180:
148:
108:
90:
66:
58:
50:
41:
34:
943:Goetzsche, Eric (1971).
562:51.1122694°N 5.2684639°E
133:51.1122694°N 5.2684639°E
642:France and Germany Star
374:South African Air Force
195:South African Air Force
86:, Union of South Africa
1040:Bomber Command History
986:Maynard, John (1996).
607:Awards and recognition
592:
524:
466:
459:. The citation reads:
436:was his close friend,
407:No. 8 Pathfinder Group
588:
567:51.1122694; 5.2684639
508:
461:
312:Early life and career
304:and posthumously the
213:Years of service
138:51.1122694; 5.2684639
982:, Johannesburg, 1973
727:possibly piloted by
695:, 11 November 2004.
662:Africa Service Medal
582:, KCB, OBE, AFC, of
440:, who normally flew
376:on 17 January 1942.
350:Natal Mounted Rifles
231:Major (SA Air Force)
992:. Arms and Armour.
655:1939–1945 War Medal
558: /
494:, 3 km SSE of
129: /
54:Edwin Essery Swales
834:The London Gazette
796:The London Gazette
700:A.V. Roe & Co.
584:RAF Bomber Command
338:Durban High School
1138:People from Natal
1042:, Royal Air Force
1031:
1030:
999:978-1-85409-258-8
925:978-0-906324-27-1
876:on 21 August 2007
765:"Swales, Edwin".
597:S.A.A.F. Memorial
577:Air Chief Marshal
356:, (officially, a
285:
284:
266:Raid on Pforzheim
16:(Redirected from
1160:
1024:
1023:
1012:
1011:
1003:
975:
964:
958:
950:
939:
929:
909:
886:
885:
883:
881:
872:. Archived from
866:
860:
859:
857:
855:
845:
839:
838:
825:
819:
816:lostaircraft.com
807:
801:
800:
787:
781:
780:
762:
750:
747:
741:
737:
731:
725:
685:Solomon Mahlangu
573:
572:
570:
569:
568:
563:
559:
556:
555:
554:
551:
411:Little Staughton
399:Pathfinder Force
393:Second World War
298:Second World War
222:
205:
203:
202:
193:
191:
190:
182:
173:
171:
170:
164:
160:
158:
157:
144:
143:
141:
140:
139:
134:
130:
127:
126:
125:
122:
97:
94:23 February 1945
76:
74:
46:
32:
31:
21:
1168:
1167:
1163:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1158:
1157:
1068:
1067:
1054:
1021:
1010:
1000:
952:
951:
932:
926:
912:
890:
889:
879:
877:
868:
867:
863:
853:
851:
847:
846:
842:
826:
822:
812:Lancaster PB358
808:
804:
788:
784:
777:
764:
763:
759:
754:
753:
748:
744:
738:
734:
726:
722:
712:
657:(Victory Medal)
609:
566:
564:
560:
557:
552:
549:
547:
545:
544:
529:
504:
471:
434:raid on Cologne
430:Squadron Leader
428:, Germany. The
415:Huntingdonshire
395:
387:Royal Air Force
358:warrant officer
314:
278:
264:
262:Raid on Cologne
260:
218:
207:Royal Air Force
200:
198:
197:
188:
186:
168:
166:
165:
155:
153:
137:
135:
131:
128:
123:
120:
118:
116:
115:
114:
99:
95:
78:
72:
70:
37:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1166:
1156:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1066:
1065:
1060:
1053:
1050:
1049:
1048:
1043:
1037:
1029:
1028:
1017:
1016:
1015:External image
1009:
1008:External links
1006:
1005:
1004:
998:
983:
976:
965:
940:
930:
924:
910:
895:
894:
888:
887:
861:
840:
820:
802:
782:
775:
756:
755:
752:
751:
742:
732:
719:
718:
717:
716:
711:
708:
681:anti-apartheid
665:
664:
658:
651:
644:
638:
632:
630:1939–1945 Star
626:
620:
618:Victoria Cross
608:
605:
528:
525:
503:
500:
475:Avro Lancaster
470:
469:Victoria Cross
467:
394:
391:
354:sergeant major
313:
310:
306:Victoria Cross
283:
282:
276:Victoria Cross
273:
269:
268:
255:
251:
250:
247:
243:
242:
239:
237:Service number
233:
232:
229:
225:
224:
216:1942–45
214:
210:
209:
184:
178:
177:
175:United Kingdom
150:
146:
145:
112:
110:
106:
105:
98:(aged 29)
92:
88:
87:
84:Natal Province
68:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
39:
38:
35:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1165:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1075:
1073:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1055:
1047:
1044:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1032:
1027:
1018:
1013:
1001:
995:
991:
990:
984:
981:
977:
973:
972:
966:
962:
956:
948:
947:
941:
937:
936:
931:
927:
921:
917:
916:
911:
907:
906:
901:
900:Harvey, David
897:
896:
892:
891:
875:
871:
865:
850:
844:
836:
835:
830:
824:
818:
817:
813:
806:
798:
797:
792:
786:
778:
776:0-409-09183-9
772:
768:
761:
757:
746:
736:
730:
724:
720:
714:
713:
707:
705:
701:
696:
694:
693:Armistice Day
688:
686:
682:
678:
674:
670:
663:
659:
656:
652:
649:
648:Defence Medal
645:
643:
639:
637:
633:
631:
627:
625:
621:
619:
615:
614:
613:
604:
602:
598:
591:
587:
585:
581:
578:
574:
571:
542:
538:
534:
523:
520:
516:
512:
507:
499:
497:
493:
489:
483:
479:
476:
465:
460:
458:
453:
451:
447:
443:
439:
438:Robert Palmer
435:
431:
427:
423:
418:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
390:
388:
383:
377:
375:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
330:Berea, Durban
327:
323:
319:
309:
307:
303:
299:
295:
292:
289:
281:
277:
274:
270:
267:
263:
259:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
238:
234:
230:
226:
223:
221:
215:
211:
208:
196:
185:
179:
176:
163:
151:
147:
142:
111:
107:
103:
93:
89:
85:
81:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
40:
33:
30:
19:
988:
979:
970:
945:
934:
914:
904:
893:Bibliography
880:27 September
878:. Retrieved
874:the original
864:
852:. Retrieved
843:
832:
823:
815:
811:
805:
794:
785:
766:
760:
745:
735:
723:
697:
689:
666:
610:
593:
589:
575:
550:51°6′44.17″N
533:Leopoldsburg
530:
521:
517:
513:
509:
505:
488:Valenciennes
484:
480:
472:
462:
454:
446:109 Squadron
422:582 Squadron
419:
403:582 Squadron
396:
378:
370:North Africa
322:South Africa
315:
287:
286:
258:World War II
254:Battles/wars
219:
162:South Africa
121:51°6′44.17″N
102:Valenciennes
96:(1945-02-23)
29:
18:Edwin Swales
1083:1945 deaths
1078:1915 births
829:"No. 37049"
810:Record for
791:"No. 36954"
704:Rolls-Royce
650:, 1939–1945
636:Africa Star
565: /
553:5°16′6.47″E
405:), part of
380:played for
136: /
124:5°16′6.47″E
77:3 July 1915
59:Nickname(s)
1072:Categories
978:Uys, Ian.
854:14 January
710:References
490:, west of
149:Allegiance
73:1915-07-03
51:Birth name
36:Ted Swales
955:cite book
949:. Durban.
677:eThekwini
450:Lancaster
442:Mosquitos
366:Abyssinia
342:Boy Scout
1052:See also
902:(1999).
601:Pretoria
502:Citation
432:for the
181:Service/
104:, France
702:and by
683:figure
541:Belgium
537:Limburg
535:, near
426:Cologne
382:Griquas
368:and in
220:†
996:
922:
773:
527:Legacy
496:Denain
492:Prouvy
401:(with
272:Awards
204:
192:
183:branch
172:
159:
109:Buried
80:Inanda
740:RCAF.
715:Notes
673:House
444:with
413:, in
409:, at
362:Kenya
318:Natal
241:6101V
100:near
994:ISBN
961:link
920:ISBN
882:2009
856:2013
771:ISBN
660:The
653:The
646:The
640:The
634:The
628:The
622:The
616:The
336:and
246:Unit
228:Rank
91:Died
67:Born
814:on
599:in
294:DFC
62:Ted
1074::
957:}}
953:{{
831:.
793:.
687:.
539:,
364:,
320:,
308:.
291:VC
82:,
1002:.
963:)
928:.
884:.
858:.
779:.
75:)
71:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
