User:Gareth R Edwards/sandbox



The Reverend Ronald Edwards who died aged 80, was awarded an immediate DSO for conspicuous gallantry at Cassino in May 1944 when serving as a chaplain attached to the Hampshire regiment. During the whole of the Cassino battle Edwards was with the forward troops under heavy fire from shells mortars and machine guns. On three occasions (also under heavy fire)he swam the river Gari, near Cassino to take medical supplies across and to bring back wounded soldiers. The award of an immediate DSO to a Captain signified exceptional courage.

On May 12th Edwards collected men of his own and other battalions, ignoring motor bombs and fire from enemy machine guns: he spent most of that night giving encouragement to the troops.

After only a few hours rest he was told that there were 30 to 40 injured men pinned down across the river and that all the assault boats had been either sunk or damaged. He immediately volunteered to swim across and see what could be done for them.

Edwards stripped off his clothes, tied a signal cable around his waist and swam through the turbulent water which was being raked by machine gun and mortar fire. He then hauled a doctor across with a supply of splints and dressings.

After treating some of the wounded the two men were led by a soldier to two badly wounded officers whom they treated. Edwards then returned to the River Gari to see if he could find a boat to evacuate the casualties.

Since he could find no boat he swam back across the river to help to salvage an assault craft. But the shellfire became so heavy that this had to be abandoned.

Edwards then notice a boat entangled in ropes in mid-stream. He swam out with a line tied around him and undaunted by mortars landing in the water around him and machine gun fire hitting the side of the boat he entangled the boat from the ropes freed the craft and hauled it to the opposite bank from where it was used to evacuate the wounded. On one of the trips across the river with two wounded infantrymen Edwards recalled "we were fired only a Spandau. I stood up and waved a Red Cross flag. Here let me say a word for the Germans. Apart from isolated instances which might have easily been accidents, they observed faithfully the Red Cross flag".

The citation Edwards's DSO concluded "his actions were instrumental in saving the lives of some of the wounded and reducing the period of suffering of others. He was an inspiration to all and his courageous action saved valuable time for the wounded.

A vicars son (Rev. William Edwards who fought in the Great War) was born on December 30th 1914. Her was educated in Pontardawe, Shrewsbury and Rochdale and later at St David's College Lampeter where he was captain of Rugby and held the 400 yards record until 1966 (his colours and cap can be seen there as they were gifted to the College on his death. He is believed to have been selected as a reserve for the 4x400 for the 1936 Olympics.

From1938 to 1942 he was a curate in Manchester and a volunteer fireman.In 1942 he volunteered for Chaplaincy of the Forces. He served with the 1st Army in North Africa and the 8th Army in Italy then in Greece (he spoke Greek both ancient and modern).

In 1946 he was demobilised and became Rector of St Paul's Higher Blackley Manchester then moving to Ashton-on-Ribble Preston in 1950. Two years later after a personal request from the Chaplain General he rejoined the army with a regular commission and was posted the the Guard's training battalion at Purbright. From 1954 to 1955 he was attached to the 32 Guard's Brigadier the Canal Zone and the served in Tripolitania.In 1957 he returned to Britain as chaplain and lecturer at Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot. Later that year he was appointed Senior Chaplain to the Forces Caribbean Area a post he retains for three years during which time he and his wife Olive entertained Harold MacMillan and the Prime Minister's wife Dorothy at their home in Kingston Jamaica. 