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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
EDWARDS, Charles AB ST, V77053, RCNVR, killed - 16 Apr 1945, HMCS ESQUIMALT - Son of Walter and Hilda M. Edwards of Port Arthur, Ontario.
AB Edwards died when his ship, HMCS ESQUIMALT, was torpedoed and sunk by U-190 off the approaches to Halifax harbour. His body was recovered and he was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Charles' brother, William H. Edwards, also served in the RCNVR during the Second World War.
Ships served in: HMCS GRIFFON - Enlisted 18 Jan 1944. Commenced Active Service 14 Feb 1944R HMCS CORNWALLIS - Drafted to CORNWALLIS 28 Jun 1944 as an OS, RCNVR HMCS AMBLER - Served in AMBLER 11 Aug 1944 - 18 Aug 1944 for training while drafted to HMCS CORNWALLIS HMCS STADACONA II - Drafted to STADACONA 26 Aug 1944 as an OS, RCNVR * Rated ST 23 Oct 1944 HMCS PEREGRINE - Drafted to PEREGRINE 27 Oct 1944 as an OS, RCNVR HMCS SCOTIAN - Drafted to SCOTIAN 04 Nov 1944 as an OS, RCNVR HMCS ESQUIMALT - Drafted to ESQUIMALT 08 Nov 1944 as an OS, RCNVR * Rated AB 14 Feb 1945
(CE01) Documents from the Service File of Charles Edward (CE02) Stained Glass Window – Stained glass window from St. John's Anglican Church, Thunder Bay, Ontario dedicated to Charles Edwards (CE03) Charles Edwards, location unknown // From the collection of Edmund John Ferris, RCNVR.
From the son of Edmund Ferris: "Chuck lived down the street from my dad, and they grew up together as kids, went to school together and joined the Navy together. Dad was assigned to Cobalt and Chuck to Esquimalt. Dad once or twice told me the story of Cobalt docking at Halifax and discovering the Esquimalt was there as well. He met with Chuck and they learned that both ships would be departing early the following morning. So in view of that they decided that for that night they would "paint the town red". Both of them got back to their ships late, slightly under the weather and departed the following morning. My dad wistfully said that was the last time he saw Chuck as the Esquimalt was torpedoed by a U-boat off the coast of Halifax a short time later."
Second World War Casualty Index
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