Edward was born in 1921 in Hackney, London to Russian born Harry and Mary née Belavsky. Harry moved with his parents from Kiev to Wales where he lived until 1920 when he moved to Hackney and married Mary. In 1939, the family were living at 35 Petherton Road, Islington. Eddie’s father Harry was working as a tailors presser and his mother was a tailoress. Eddie’s sister Vera volunteered as a WAAF.

Eddie was an air gunner on Lancaster ND681 which departed RAF Grimsby on an operation to Stuttgart. Homeward-bound, the aircraft was shot down by night fighter pilot Hauptmann Ludwig Meister and crashed at Bonneuil-les-Eaux, Oise, France killing all the crew.

Pilot, Arthur Dawson, 529673

A/B, Harold Ellison, 1456863

W/Op, Victor Favager, 1473895

A/B, David Gibson, 1393163

F/E, Anthony George Redman, 1321969

Nav, Gordon Walter Wildfong, RCAF R/151070