The Airmen's Stories - P/O G A F Edmiston

Guy Arthur Fownes Edmiston was born in Liverpool on 18th March 1918 and attended Uppingham School from 1931 to 1935. After leaving he went to work in the office at a Lloyds broking firm.

He joined the RAFVR on 13th October 1938 as an Airman u/t Pilot. Called up on 1st September 1939, he continued his flying training at 9 EFTS Ansty.

Edmiston went on to 12 FTS Grantham where he was on No. 11 Course, which ran from 9th June to 6th September 1940.

On completing the course Edmiston was commissioned and arrived at 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 10th September. After converting to Hurricanes he joined 151 Squadron at Digby on 29th September. In November 1940 the squadron began to receive Defiants. In the early hours of 3rd May 1941 Edmiston, with Sgt. AG Beale as his gunner, shot down a Ju88, which crashed on the beach at Weybourne, Norfolk.

At night on 16th May they claimed three enemy aircraft probably destroyed, two Do17's and a He111, on 22nd June they claimed an enemy aircraft shot down, it may have been the He111 which went into the sea off Brightstone Bay, Isle of Wight. Their final victory came on 4th July 1941, a He111 probably destroyed on a night patrol.

In late 1941 Edmiston was taken off operational flying, possibly for medical reasons.

He went on to Control duties on 21st March 1942 and was a Sector Controller at North Weald and Hornchurch. His final posting was to the Air Staff at HQ Fighter Command.

He was released from the RAF in 1946 and returned to Lloyds as a broker. He was a member of the Chelsea Borough Council and a City Magistrate for twenty years.

Edmiston was Honorary National Treasurer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a post he held for twenty-five years up to his retirement in 1983.

He died on 13th February 1989 in Oxfordshire.