Edgar, James

Date of birth:: May 21st, 1920 (Pietersburg, South Africa)
Date of death:: March 17th, 2021 (Perth, Australia)
Service number:: 2888477
Nationality:: British

Biography

James Edgar volunteered for the army in August 1940. After three months in the Gordon Highlanders he was transferred to the Intelligence Corps.
As part of 62 Commando he Edgar took part in two raids to the Channel Islands, Burhou (Branford) and Sark.
He was also parachuted into occupied France (see MiD citation below) and again parachuted into Burma on 27 April 1945 as part of the Nation Operation as a member of a Jedburgh Team. Demobilised at the end of 1946, subsequently he qualified as a vet in Edinburgh. After several years in practise, he moved to Perth, Western Australia, to the Department of Agriculture.

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Mentioned in Dispatches

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Sergeant
Unit:: F Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Awarded on:: January 31st, 1946

Citation:
"Sgt. EDGAR was parachuted into FRANCE in July, 1944, as W/T operator to an inter-allied mission in the CORREZE Department. For two months he maintained constant W/T communication with LONDON from occupied territory, often in hazardous and difficult conditions.
His commanding officer has paid tribute to Sgt. EDGAR's courage and devotion to duty, and reported that "he never allowed any danger or difficulty to stand in the way of his work as a W/T operator, and, when attached to me personally, he never missed a schedule".

For undertaking a dangerous mission in enemy occupied territory, it is recommended that Sgt. EDGAR be awarded a Mention in Despatches."