Dear editor,
On May 20, we remembered a hero, a legend, and a veteran of a country known as the “true north strong and free.”
James Francis “Stocky” Edwards, was a man who stood tall, to defend this country in time of war, and joined the RCAF, to fight for freedom in the Second World War, flying fighters over the North African desert, Italy, and in the skies of England and Northern Europe, rising through the ranks, and gaining many victories along the way.
When the war ended, and although still in uniform, he briefly stood down, to remember and to reflect on those who did not come home, and still fly many missions to this day. His service in the RCAF did not end there, for he served until the amalgamation of Canada’s Armed forces, in 1972, retiring as a lieutenant-colonel.
On May 20, we stood down in our daily lives, to remember and to thank a man and a veteran, who stood tall in the fight for freedom, and we reflect on the thousands of veterans, who have passed on, and in respect of Mr. Edwards, who has “slipped the surly bonds of earth,” to rejoin his comrades in arms.
Lest we forget those who fought for freedom, and those serving in Canada’s Armed Forces today, for we can be proud of them and the freedom that they uphold, that we so enjoy and hold dear to our hearts.
Gordon Kibble,
Steveston, B.C.