Roland Gordon Edwards came from Worcestershire and served in his local regiment prior to volunteering for airborne forces in World War II.He qualified as a military parachutist on course 134 which ran at RAF Ringway from 18 September to 5 October 1944 and later served with 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion in Headquarters Company.

He was killed during the first day of the operation to establish a bridgehead over the Rhine, Op Varsity.

Pte Edwards died on 24 March 1945, aged 19 years, and is now buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.