Edgar was born in January 1921 in Hampstead, London to Walter and Hannah nee Austriak and he had an older brother Leslie. Their father Walter ran a woollen drapers shop in Earlsmead Road, Willesden.

Edgar was a wireless operator/air gunner on Wellington LA994 which departed from Magrum North at 1710 hours on 8 February 1943 to attack Palermo. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it did not return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was recorded in 1948 that the missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.

Pilot, Roland Moorin, 1054968.
2nd Pilot, Irwin Foulds, RNZAF, 412785.
Nav, Donald Hood, RAAF, 402559.
W/Op, A/G, Tom Penrose, 997260.
A/G, Hew Russell Stevenson, 778496.